Maybe, Just Maybe
by iceymoon303
Summary: Modern AU: Romano couldn't help but be instantly attracted to the stranger on the train, the one with bright green eyes and an unforgettable smile. How could something so simple end up changing his life so much? Lots of fluff! SpaMano with a touch of GerIta! Rated M for reasons.
1. Chapter 1: Don't Make Eye Contact

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

Helloooo~

Yay! So this is the first story I have written that has withstood the plague of writer's block and powered through multiple distractions. I don't know how well I write, but I hope you like it! (:

Please let me know how the first and future chapters are! I have the whole story finished, so I'll be updating pretty frequently after I finish editing and checking for mistakes. Also, the ratings will get higher later.

Anyway, please enjoy the beauty and wonderfulness that is Spamano~

Thanks for reading! (:

* * *

**Chapter 1: Whatever You Do, Don't Make Eye Contact**

The first thing he noticed about him was his eyes.  
It was those grassy green orbs that seemed to illuminate the dull surroundings of the train cart. A black backpack was casually slung over his left shoulder and a red plaid shirt complimented his unruly golden brown locks. Hands tucked in his jean pockets, the boy walked through the cart and took a seat near the back due to the abundance of tired people coming back from their day jobs.  
Romano sat there across from him, face covered by the book in his hands and eyes silently observing his actions.  
The second thing he noticed put a scowl on the Italian's face: the bastard had the most brilliant—no, annoying—smile he had ever seen.  
He grinned rather stupidly at an elderly woman, whom he gave up his seat for. She was fooled by his charms, however, as Romano watched her chat animatedly with the boy. The Spanish man hung onto the strap above him and leaned down to listen to her quiet voice and answer politely. Something she said had him throwing his head back in sweet laughter, those same brown curls revealing the youthful and handsome features of his face.  
Romano groaned. Why couldn't he just focus on his book? He hadn't read it yet, but his younger brother had coaxed him into taking it with him. But now this bastard was distracting him from reading. The Italian tried to read the first sentence, but another laugh captured his attention again and his heart did little flip that he found totally unnecessary.  
After trying to ignore them and curious about the absence of laughter, he looked up again and saw that the boy was no longer talking with the woman and was instead staring at the window on his side. Romano sighed in relief. Finally that annoying guy had shut up.  
It was only when he looked in the glass window that the man was staring at that he froze. The image was a mirror of themselves, with a skinny boy with auburn hair and a strange curl that was Romano sitting in one of the seats across the aisle holding a blue book, and the Spaniard standing with his gaze locked on the Romano in the reflection. Green eyes met fiery brown ones, causing Romano to stiffen and heat wash over his face. Dammit, did he really look that red?  
Romano heard a chuckled and broke eye contact to glare at the back of the man's head. Before the boy could turn around and meet his gaze once again, Romano hid behind his book and forced his red face to cool.  
No, no, no, no. He was not going to look up. This wasn't some game. Who stares at people like that and laughs at them? That creepy bastard could go jump off a bridge for all he cared.  
A voice came over the intercom, announcing the next stop. Romano ignored it since he still had one more stop to go, but was vaguely aware of the shift of people as they stood and gravitated towards the sliding doors. He watched out of the corner of his eye as most of the adults existed the openings like eager rats scurrying out of the drains.  
It was after the train was half empty that he noticed the Spaniard had disappeared as well. A sense of disappointment filled him but he ignored it. He didn't even know the guy. And he was sure he had snickered at him—for no apparent reason! Romano sighed and relaxed knowing he could finally focus on the words in front of him.  
Yet not a moment later, another blush spread over his face as he thrust the book into his bag and groaned. How embarrassing. He had been holding the novel upside down the whole time—and the bastard had seen him do it. Just peachy.  
Good thing he never had to see that loser again.  
Right?

~x~

Apparently luck was not on his side.  
Because he was there, again.  
Romano went to a graduate college a couple miles away from his home after he attended a local university and applied for further education in the arts. He constantly took the train—morning and evening—and faced the thirty minute metro ride for most of the week. Although he wished to go to same school as his brother as they had done before, Feliciano had immediately rejected him, knowing that his older brother's calling was for art instead of cooking. They had, however, moved into an apartment that was about halfway in between each of their colleges. So he had started taking the metro a few weeks ago, and had never seen anyone twice except for now.  
Romano tried to hide his face behind a huge sketchbook that he was holding and succeeded, for the boy didn't seem to notice him and took a seat a couple rows down.  
This time, Romano sat in a two-seater facing towards the back of the train which would place him in a fairly visible place. Groaning, he peeked out from his board and saw the boy listening to music, snapping his fingers and tapping his foot to the unknown beat.

Feeling it was safe enough, the Italian angled the board in front of himself and began aimlessly sketching anything that came to mind. The worn seats of the cart—the infinite number of houses that the train passed by—the beautiful blue sky adorned with clouds—the woman with untidy hair and two children she tried to quiet with a finger to her lips—the stained carpet which was wet with god-knows-what—the old man who had lost most of his hair—the stupidly handsome boy looking in his direction—the scratched—wait what?  
Romano's eyes shifted unconsciously and unwillingly back to those damn mesmerizing eyes that twinkled with something his couldn't identify.  
The boy held his gaze and smiled at him. Romano scrunched his nose up and huffed, crossing his arms and turning towards the window. Stupid bastard, thinking he could fool him. Not a chance!

Focusing back on his blank sheet of paper, the Italian was shocked to see that he had in fact drawn something.  
It was the mysterious boy that had appeared on his paper, who was shown staring out the window with a thoughtful expression on his face and earphones in his ears. Red covered his face as Romano grumbled and threaded a hand through his tangled hair. He had to stop blushing—It was getting annoying.  
He hadn't even heard the stop announcement before the boy—who was invading his thoughts against his will—stood up and headed towards the doors out into the night.  
Romano watched him go, and stared at him as the train left the station. And strangely enough as the window view slid by, the Spaniard had looked back in Romano's direction.

With that thought, a small smile spread across his usually never happy face that he had trouble forcing down.

~x~

"Fratello? Did something happen?" Romano looked up at his brother, who looked very similar to him except with a curl on the left side of his head. He wore a green frilly apron and held a pan over the stove. The older Italian wanted to mention that he looked stupid in that get-up, but was thrown off by his question.  
"Hm? What do you mean?" Feliciano stirred the spaghetti and turned off the fire. He tapped his finger tip on his chin and looked up in a thoughtful manner.  
"You just seem... Happier than usual? And less mean?"  
Romano clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.  
"Maybe you're just being less stupid and I'm the same as always."  
Laughing, his brother grabbed the tongs and placed a glob of spaghetti with tomato sauce on the plates in front of them.  
"If you say so, fratello. If you want to talk, please come to me. Or Ludwig! He's very good at listening!"  
The older Italian groaned and took a mouthful of the delectable pasta. No wonder his brother was a chef—his pasta could not be beat.  
"Like I'll ever tell the potato bastard any of my problems." Feliciano sat down with him and watched his brother happily consume his creation.  
"Good, ve~?" He smiled.  
Romano rolled his eyes while spaghetti sat in his mouth, making his cheeks big. He nodded and swallowed.  
"You're not totally horrible."  
The younger boy grinned and hugged him. "Yay!"  
"Ah, idiota! Get off of me!"  
As Feliciano removed himself, Romano dusted invisible dirt off his shoulder and went back to finishing his dinner.  
Feli started to eat his own, only to pause and look up at his brother with innocent eyes.  
"So who's the boy you keep drawing in your book?"  
Romano choked on the pasta.

~x~

That was the last time he left his stuff lying around. Leave it to Feli to throw things out of proportions. He had accused him of having a crush on the guy and demanded to know who he was! Romano most certainly did not like the annoying bastard, nor did he know anything about him, besides the fact that he was stupid and idiot-like and handsome and funny and kind—  
Abruptly stopping himself, Romano shook off those thoughts. That was getting dangerous.  
It was around lunch time at the college and the brunette was starving. He usually brought a sandwich from home, but he had overslept and had to take the late train. That reminded him—he needed to buy a new alarm clock.  
Sighing, Romano decided he needed some caffeinated coffee and headed for the new cafe that had just opened up down the street. He inspected if he had enough money to cover what he wanted, and then headed over to the cafe doors.  
The bell on the door chimed he walked in, and he instantly heard a greeting from an employee cleaning a table. It was a cozy little place with only couches and booths and round tables in front of them. The smell of coffee flooded his senses and made his mouth water. Yep, he made the right choice.

He walked up to the cashier and placed the money on the counter.  
"I'll have an espresso and a turkey sandwich."  
The cashier, who had been leaning down, asked him to wait a moment. He stood there, tapping his foot, and stared at the cashier's messy brown hair and hand holding him up. A strong, manly hand…

Romano slowly stopped tapping, realizing he recognized those features. He had drawn them several times after all. Before he could have a chance to run out the door, the boy rose up and faced him with a smile.  
"Sorry for the wait, espresso and a turkey sandwich coming..." The Spaniard trailed off and stared back with his surprised green eyes. Dammit, Romano, they aren't that enchanting!  
"Uh... Yeah." Romano said awkwardly and forced himself looked away.  
He slid the money across the granite surface and stared at his feet as he felt the other's piercing gaze on him.  
"Sure thing." The boy recovered as if nothing had happened and flashed his signature smile. He grabbed a cup and filled it with steaming coffee and handed it to Romano.  
"Here," the Spaniard grabbed the sandwich from the refrigerator and gave it to him, "And this."  
Romano nodded and waited for him to ring him up. Maybe he hadn't recognized him? He wasn't anything special to look at and he wasn't memorable like his brother. He was the moody one who every one left alone. He wanted it that way, granted, but he also knew he was good at lying to himself.  
The Italian was pulled out of his self-loathing mind rant by the sound of change scratching across the counter.  
Romano looked up at the boy confused, for the amount he gave back was the same he had offered him.  
"I think you made a mist—" Shaking his hands in front of him, he boy cut him off.  
"It's on me."  
The boy smiled idiotically, but at the same time beautifully, which made Romano's heart constrict. Recovering rather slowly, Romano scowled at him.  
"Don't be stupid. Take the money."  
Closing the register, the Spaniard shook his head.  
"Already done."  
Romano looked at him incredulously and growled. Leaning over the counter and pulling the boy's shirt forward, the Italian gave him his best glare.  
"Look bastard, I'm not some charity case. I don't need your help and I certainly don't need your money."  
The Spaniard looked surprised by his attitude, but just as quickly calmed down and let out a chuckle.  
"No, certainly not. I wanted to buy it for you."  
At a loss, Romano did not deter his glare as he let the boy go and shoved the money into the tip jar before running out the door.  
On a bench on campus, the Italian munched angrily on his sandwich and downed his coffee faster than he wished, but still couldn't get that stupid bastard's grin out of his head. Who did he think he was?  
Romano got up and shoved the plastic in the trash can before stalking off. He just hoped he didn't see him on the train later.

~x~

Just to be safe, Romano would board the train after the one he usually took. A sense of guilt washed over him, but for what reason he could not comprehend. They weren't even friends. There was no reason to feel this way.

He stood there in the underground area watching as people passed by in a rush and the trains whiz pass him like bullets. When the cart pulled up, he found this one to be visibly less full, since it was after six.  
He took a free seat closest to the window and leaned his head on it. His eyes fluttered shut, weighed down by tiredness, and let himself relax for a moment. He let himself mull over the day's events and his current project he needed to turn in by Friday, and, soon enough, he was stuck in the web of his dreams and thoughts.  
Pulled from his dreamland, Romano felt a tug on his shoulder and opened his eyes to meet glowing green orbs that he knew all too well. For a moment, he wondered if he was hallucinating and rubbed the sleepiness from them. When the image didn't disappear, he concluded that the person in front of him was actually there.

The man smiled and took the seat next to him. "Hola~"

Romano stared at him and groaned. This guy was persistently trying to get on his nerves, wasn't he? Why couldn't he just go away or leave him alone like everyone else did?

"Oh, it's you, bastard," he rubbed his head and looked around, "how long have I been out?"

The Spaniard hummed and checked his watch. "Hm, about thirty minutes?"

Romano sighed in relief as he saw familiar buildings pass by. His stop was coming up next. Thank god he had woken him up before his stop came. It would have been a hassle getting back. Come to think of it…

Alarmed with realization, the boy sat up and turned to the Spanish man.

"Wait, isn't your stop before mine? Why didn't you get off? Wait, why are you even on this train?" The questions came flooding out before Romano could stop them.

After jumping in surprise, the boy rubbed the back of his neck.

"I had the late shift at the coffee shop, so I didn't make it to the usual cart in time. But I was surprised to see you on here! Why were you late?"

Romano blushed and turned away to hide his face.

"B-bastard. That's none of your business. And you didn't answer my question."

The brunette laughed again whole-heartily and laid his arm over the back of the seat. He ran his other hand through his hair and looked at Romano.

"If you must know, I didn't want to wake you up because you had such a peaceful expression on your face~ It was too good to pass up, so here I am. You should smile more!"

What…what sort of reason was that? He didn't _want_ to smile. That was the point! Flushing, the Italian scowled and crossed his arms.

"That's creepy, asshole. Didn't your mother teach not to watch others when they sleep?" He smirked, proud of his on-the-spot comeback.

The boy's usual stupid grin held a hint of pain. "She did a long time ago."

Romano's smirk was replaced with a frown as he searched for the right thing to say. Had he hurt his feelings? He found the bastard annoying, but he didn't mean to actual cause him any discomfort.

"Thanks," He mumbled finally.

The Spaniard, who had been lost in thought, looked up.

"Que?"

"You know… for waking me up. Feliciano would kill me if I wasn't home before nine," Romano elaborated and stared down at his lap, absentmindedly scratching the cotton fabric on his bag.

The boy smiled largely and shifted closer to Romano.

"Ah, really it wasn't a problem!" He began happily before furrowing his brows uncharacteristically. "Wait, who…who is Feliciano?"

Romano's usual snippy remark died down in his throat as he met his green eyes once again, but this time it was filled with an inkling of another color… like black or red? He cocked his head, confused by the strain in the usual happy-go-lucky boy's voice.

"My younger brother," he said finally, "He worries too much about me."

Visibly relaxing, the man graced him with his happy grin once again.

"I wish I had a sibling! I'm an only child. It must be fun."

Romano scoffed. "You think taking care of a complete idiot is fun? My brother couldn't tie his shoelaces until he was twelve, and I had to re-teach him math because he 'didn't get it' and wanted to make pasta instead. Then in high school, I had to watch him write his essays because he always got off topic and ran away when he could…"

With a content smile on his face, the boy listened to the Italian rant and chuckled.

"It sounds like you really care about him. You're a great big brother." Romano trailed off and stared at the Spaniard next to him.

Romano had always considered been "second-best" to his younger brother. Everyone loved him more, cared about him more, and wanted to be with him more. Feliciano never had trouble making new friends, or starting up a conversation with a stranger. No one had ever appreciated the older boy's efforts at being the "rock" in Feliciano's life, nor spared him a second look as they gravitated to the cheerful younger brother. So it was a shock for Romano to hear someone compliment him for the first time, even if it was from the annoyingly attractive bastard…whose name he didn't even know.

"Hey…What's your name?" He spoke in a trance. The boy smiled.

"Antonio. Antonio Fernandez Carriedo. What about you?" Romano sounded it out in his head. _Antonio. Antonio. _For some reason, it just felt _right_ on the tip of his tongue.

"Romano Vargas." He responded, bringing his eyes up to meet the Spaniard's.

Time seemed to stop. It felt like just the two of them where nothing else existed and nothing else mattered. If Romano had his way, he wouldn't mind staying like this forever.

But like all good things, it had to come to an end. The train announce the name of his stop, and slowly pulled into the station.

"It's my stop." Romano said nonchalantly, breaking eye contact and standing up.

Antonio nodded and stepped out of the way for Romano to come out. Exiting the doors, they both walked to the center of the platform. The Spaniard turned to the Italian.

"This is where we part."

Romano hummed in agreement, yet stood there with no desire to leave, as if he was waiting for something. Before Antonio opened his mouth to speak, the boy turned around and headed off.

"Ciao, bastard." He waved without looking back.

Antonio waved and called after him. "Bye, Romano~! See you tomorrow!"

Romano looked back with a slight blush on his cheeks which the Spaniard could clearly see, and kept walking.

"G-go to hell, i-idiot!" He stuttered and ran out of sight.

The brunette chuckled as he stepped onto the other cart and went on his way.

Glancing back, Romano couldn't help but have thoughts he had long since forbidden himself. Why did this bastard have this effect on him? It's not like he actually…liked…him…no, no, no, never!

He turned on his heel and disappeared into the night, whispering "no's" and "never's" all the way home.


	2. Chapter 2: Kidnapping is a Crime!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 2: Kidnapping is a Crime!**

It was by some strange magic that brought Romano to the front of the coffee shop. It was a pretty busy street that the cafe had opened up on, the type that had a hundred little cracks in the street but no one fixed because it was used so often. Attempting to look inconspicuous to the passer-bys, he covertly tried to peek through the dark windows from the side. Why were the windows tinted anyway? They were just a pain, anyway. By angling his head to the side and leaning down, he caught sight of Antonio, who was serving the customers with a warm smile.

Gagging at the boy's idiocy, Romano casually straightened himself up and walked into the cafe, hands in his favorite pair of tight blue jeans that may or may not have made his ass look good (ok, like realllyyyy good). Not that he was wearing them because of the Spaniard! No…he just happened to wear these today…yes, that was it.

Antonio, who had been counting change, glanced up and caught sight on the Italian. A huge, ridiculous grin spread over his face, revealing the man's very visible laugh lines in his cheeks. Ha! That's what the bastard gets for being so happy all the time—premature wrinkles!

"Romano! I didn't think I'd see you so soon!" The brunette closed the register and leaned forward on the counter.

The auburn-haired boy glanced down and muttered, "W-well. I had time before class and the sandwich wasn't too disgusting from last time. I-I'm not here because of you, dammit!"

Antonio laughed whole-heartily at the boy's cute and shy nature, but quickly stopped himself when he saw Romano growl and turn towards the door to leave.

"Ah, wait! Don't leave!" He exclaimed with an edge of desperation in his tone.

The angry Italian turned half his body towards the Spaniard and gave him a glare.

"You're pissing me off, asshole." Antonio gave him an apologetic smile and ushered him back with his hands by doing a beckoning motion.

"Lo siento. Come on, what do you want?"

Romano eyed him cautiously before sighing and moving back towards the counter. Threading a hand through his course hair, the Italian squinted at the board and picked something random.

"I want…the espresso and the BLT."

The Spaniard nodded and rung it up. Spinning around and grabbing a cup rather smoothly, he filled the cup with hot coffee and covered it with a cap.

"Coming right up! I love tomatoes~! They're my favorite food." Romano's eyes widened and a small smile lined his face as he watched the man move.

"Damn right! Tomatoes are the best food out there!" The brunette boy was shocked when he noticed the genuinely happy expression on Romano's face, and stared in awe. The Italian noticed Antonio's gaze and forced his mouth back into a scowl. Antonio didn't have to seem so surprised! The idiot gawked at him like he was seeing a three-eyed monkey.

"Can I have my food, bastard? And I'm definitely paying this time, so here." Romano thrust the money into Antonio's hands. The Spaniard blinked and decided to humor the boy and let him buy his food. He would just have to get him next time.

"You know, you should do that more. You have a really nice smile." He said simply and truthfully as he handed the food to the boy and tried to catch his eye. Red filled the Italian's face as he held the wrapped sandwich.

Antonio laughed sweetly and pointed at him.

"You look like a tomato. So cute~!"

This cause the red to go a shade darker as Romano struggled to find the right words to defend his manliness.

"M-men are not supposed to be cute! And I do not look like a tomato, you jerk!" Pouting, he stomped away from the counter and towards one of the tables, with his view away from the Spaniard.

Chuckling, Antonio kept an eye on him over the next half hour when business picked up and his hands were full with orders. He smiled absentmindedly as he worked, thrilled that he could see the feisty Italian, who he had been invading his thoughts, so early in the day. The Spaniard didn't know quite how to explain it. It seemed like they were destined to meet by the way they were naturally draw to each other. And he wasn't one to deny fate!

A voice from behind him brought him out of his daze.

"Who's the boy throwing dagger eyes at you?"

Antonio turned around to meet the curious and coy grin of his boss, Elizaveta. She was like an old family friend who was always eager to gossip and chat over the most inane subject. She was, however, a very reliable person, and had gotten him this job in the first place to help pay for his education.

Following her gaze, he looked over at Romano, and was surprised to see him practically glowing red. Was that anger? Embarrassment? Uncertain, he decided to just grin and wave, causing the Italian to frown and turn back away from him.

"A friend… of sorts." He answered unsurely.

Elizaveta flipped her long, brown hair and hummed. "Oh? Well, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you two have the hots for each other!"

The Spaniard chuckled but didn't answer. The Hungarian woman eyed him for any reaction to her accusation, but found none. Dissatisfied with her inability to read him, she spun around and popped a piece of milk and white chocolate into her mouth.

"Keeping quiet, eh? Come on, make a fujioshi's day. I want details!"

Antonio pretended to actually mull over the offer and pointed at her smacking lips.

"Only if you stop eating your own food. You've had over $100 worth already, and you just opened up a few weeks ago. How are you and your husband supposed to make a living?" The woman groaned and puffed out her lip.

"I make them, so I get priority! And Roddy is an excellent businessman! No deal!"

Grinning, Antonio took inventory of what they had left in stock and handed the sheet to his boss. "Then, I'm sorry, but my lips are sealed."

"Fine. I'm keeping an eye on you."

Pointing two fingers to her eyes and spinning them around at Antonio, she huffed and returned to the kitchen.

Turing back to face the sitting area, he looked up to check on Romano. However, he saw that the seat he had been at before was unoccupied. Perplexed, the Spaniard frowned uncharacteristically and scanned the whole shop to find no angry Italian. Romano must have headed back to class, he concluded. But why hadn't he at least said goodbye?

Disappointment tinged his usually indestructible smile, but he, seeing no point of getting worked over something so little, did his best to keep him mind off the Romano until he was finished with his shift.

~x~

Blankly staring at the course material, Romano sat through his next class without really focusing. His mind constantly shifted back to Antonio and his smile and his kindness and that _lady_.

Squeezing his water bottle, he inattentively sketched while delving into his own thoughts. Who was she? She worked with Antonio right? And she was pretty and nice and fun and Romano was…not. Now that was probably the Spaniard's type! Well…it wasn't like he actually liked the bastard! She could have him for all he cared!

He stopped sketching and stared down at the paper with a sigh. Not again. It seemed like whenever he let his thoughts flow freely, he always ended up drawing the stupid bastard with all his handsomely stupid features. He didn't like him that much…or at all… ok, maybe he liked him more than he put on. Groaning, he clutched his head in distress and messed it up his hair. Why did he care so much?

As the clock struck four, Romano sighed and gathered up his supplies for the next class.

_Stupid Antonio._

_~x~_

Romano was just on time to catch his train. He waited on the platform, messenger bag hanging off his right shoulder and eyes emptily burning into the ground. He vaguely registered the group of girls giggling about something on their phones or the married couple bickering about what to have for dinner on his left. The monstrous and ominous sound of the train approaching silenced them all, as if it was some type of higher being that commanded their attention. After the customary gust of wind, the cart arrived and opened its door, welcoming its passengers, but Romano didn't move.

To be honest, he didn't really want to see the tomato bastard. What was he himself thinking about getting involved with someone he randomly met? It was stupid. His purpose was to get through school and support his brother, not chat with idiots and miss trains. The last call for the cart sounded over the intercom, waking him temporarily from his thoughts.

He entered the cart and took a seat in the back, away from the plethora of people. Everyone was always eager to get off the train as soon as they got on, but not Romano. He always enjoyed the peaceful and silent ride home before he had to deal with his overly talkative brother. Today, however, he was tired and wanted to take a siesta early. When Antonio's stop came, Romano glanced towards the doors, waiting for the grinning bastard to come in and harass him.

However, that didn't happen.

The doors closed and the train sped back off towards the other stops. Feeling numb, Romano clenched his fists and felt his finger nails dig into palms. Although he didn't want to see the bastard, he could have at least shown up! He huffed and growled. He should had known better. Honestly, what made him believe that Antonio was different from the others?

He wasn't good enough. Everyone had always told him that, even if they had never said it to his face. The answer was written all over their expressions and critical gazes.

_Why can't you be more like, Feli? Feliciano is so talented. _

_Oh? You can do art? You do know there's no career in that. _

_That boy needs a shrink or something. What's with his horrible attitude? _

_Feli is so cute! Why is his brother frowning all the time? Someone should tell him._

Romano was stupid. Stupid. _Stupid._

"Romano?" A voice pulled him out of his mind and forced him to look up at the out-of-breath Spaniard staring down at him.

"Antonio?" He spoke softly, confused. What was he doing here? Hadn't he missed his stop?

The Spaniard sat down in the free seat next to him and beamed.

"Sorry I'm late. I got in the wrong cart! Can you believe that? I rushed over as soon as the next stop came." He scratched his cheek sheepishly.

Romano stared at him and tried to swallow the lump in his throat.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard, idiot." He stated with a scowl. Who did that anyway? He almost gave him a heart attack for noth—Romano banished those thoughts. He wouldn't admit anything. No. Antonio made that oh-so-dreamy laugh that made Romano's knees weak.

"Yeah, well, you left so suddenly at the shop. Why didn't you say goodbye?"

The Italian shifted in the worn leather seat uncomfortably and stared down at his hands. The train quietly sped over a few bumps and into a tunnel as he looked out the dark window.

"There was no reason for me to stay there. Besides, you were busy." He muttered finally.

Antonio sat there for a moment searching for the right thing to say before replying.

"I just want you to know that you're always welcome to come get coffee. I'd be very happy if you became a regular. I could see you more."

He smiled sincerely, sending an arrow of affection straight at Romano. Frowning and eyes slightly widened, Romano turned away.

"Whatever you say, bastard. You're coffee's ok. It's not like I'd want to see you, anyway."

Antonio chuckled and faked hurt by clutching his heart, as if he had been stabbed in his chest. "Ow! You're so mean, Roma~! Why can't you be nicer to me?"

_Why can't you be more like Feliciano, Romano?_

Romano froze as the self-loathing voice played in his head. Of course. Everyone liked nice people, and he was not one of them. People just used you if you were kind. It was a situation he saw often with his brother. Some would pretend to be nice to the older sibling just so they could get to Feli, or others would pretend to genuinely care about his little brother just to bail on him when he needed them the most. Romano knew all too well you couldn't trust people. Antonio's laugh died down as he noticed the Italian's painful expression on his face.

"Romano? What's wrong?"

The boy didn't answer, only staring ahead with wide eyes and quivering lips. The Spaniard leaned forward and raised his tanned hand to cup Romano's cheek gently and turn him to face him. The boy growled, awakening from his shock, and was surprised to see the worry in Antonio's eyes.

"Nothing, you jerk! Let go of me!" However, the Spaniard's caring but strong grip did not let up. His green eyes bore into his own.

"Tell me, mi tomate."

Romano blushed and attempted to wiggle out of his grip more than ever.

"Go to hell! You're just like the rest of them. You're…"

The Italian felt his eyes start to well up as he lost the will to speak. Not wanting to be humiliated anymore, Romano rubbed his eyes and pushed the other boy away. Antonio sat there in shock as Romano got up and dashed out the open doors and into the night.

~x~

Yes, he knew he looked incredibly stupid right now—running through the crowd with small tears dotting his eyes and cheeks. He didn't even know where he had gotten off at, nor where he was going. He just knew he couldn't stand another second with that inconsiderate bastard.

After running for five minutes at full speed, Romano finally started to slow down as his breathing was getting heavier and the adrenaline started to wane.

He should have never taken an interest in the attractive stranger and his wonderful smile. Taking chances and letting people in only brought trouble and hurt. And for a second, he actually believed Antonio cared about him. He laughed at his own foolishness. The charming man had everything going for him that Romano didn't. Why would he ever need someone like Romano in his life, who frowned too much and complained about everything?

He wiped his eyes on his sleeve. This was it then. He wouldn't see the bastard anymore. It was for the best. No more going to the coffee shop. No more riding the same train. No more smiling or laughing or—

A rigid grip on his right arm had him spinning around to face an exhausted and wheezing Antonio, who was bent over trying to catch his breath and hand still holding the Italian's blue shirt as if he was afraid he would run away. They stood there awkwardly, Romano's silence and Antonio's breathing filling the night.

Antonio finally looked at him. His green eyes were fierce and unwavering, as if a grassy fire was burning in them.

"Why…why did you run?" He asked in between breaths. Romano stared at the ground and frowned.

"Y-you look like you're about to kill over. You shouldn't have come after me, idiot!"

Antonio stood up and moved closer the boy. He raised his fingers and swiped away the tears that had littered his face.

"Why are you crying?" He asked quietly, eyes locking with Romano's. The auburn-haired boy shifted his eyes away but didn't pull away from the Spaniard's hands.

"I-I'm not, you bastard. Leave me alone."

"Romano."

Reluctantly, the boy forced himself to look up at the strong man in front of him. For the first time, Romano saw a look of anger in the man's eyes as he slid his hand down to cup the Italian's cheek.

"Tell me what's wrong."

The boy broke eye contact again and nibbled on his lip.

"…Nothing's wrong." He whispered weakly.

Antonio sighed and let go of his face. Romano instantly missed his warmth once the cold air attacked his skin. Turning to the boy, the Spaniard shot him a determined look.

"Ok. If you won't talk. I'll just have to make you."

Romano gave him a questioning gaze.

"What are you—Ah!" Antonio swept him off his feet and threw him over his shoulder. Stunned for a moment, Romano recovered and attacked his back, hiding his embarrassed face from the people wearing shocked expressions as they passed down the street.

"I'll kill you, asshole! Put me down!"

Antonio didn't answer and kept walking. After a few minutes of fruitless protesting, Romano gave up fighting and hung upside down. The blood flooded to his head causing him to groan.

"I hate you, bastard. This is the most embarrassing moment of my life." He moaned helplessly. Romano never felt happier than to feel the vibrations of laughter underneath him as Antonio spoke.

"I'm sure they've seen worse. If you had just talked, I wouldn't have had to do this~!"

"Yeah, yeah. Can't do anything now," he muttered under his breath and looked around, "Where are we going?" Nothing looked familiar upside down.

"My place!" Antonio chirped.

Romano blamed gravity for the massive blood rush to his head.

"Tomato bastard, I barely know you! How do I know you're not going to kill me?"

Antonio chuckled and hummed. "You're too cute to kill! Besides, I feel like I've know you for a long time. Or like I'm supposed to know you forever."

The Italian stayed silent and let the words sink in. It did seem like it, and he didn't feel that scared. Not that he couldn't take on the man, of course! After a couple minutes, Romano was starting to feel lightheaded and tapped on the boy's head.

"Let me down. I can walk now."

Antonio laughed and patted his ass _twice,_ causing the Italian to jump before putting he touched the ground. Romano stepped away from him and pointed an accusatory finger at the Spaniard.

"You pervert!"

The man chuckled and shoved his hands in his pockets. "You're too cute. I couldn't resist~"

"I told you. I'm not cute…bastard." Romano muttered with a pout on his face. They walked in comfortable silence before Antonio nudged him and pointed out a large modern building.

"We're here!"

The boy followed him up the path and onto the stairs of the apartment complex. The Spaniard stopped on the third floor and went four doors down before pulling out his keys from his backpack. He jingled the various keys around till he found the right one, and, once he did, grinned and pushed the key into the door. He stepped away from the doorway and bowed, gesturing a hand towards the inside.

"After you."

Romano blushed and huffed, muttering venom-less insults under his breath as he walked into the apartment. It was a larger flat than he expected, but, in its entirety, the epitome of what he'd expect a college guy's apartment to look like. It wasn't very clean nor decorated. Papers were scattered around the floor while Styrofoam containers filled with half-finished food and dishes littered the place.

He heard the shaky laugh of the man behind him. "It's a little cluttered. I have two other roommates."

Romano scoffed. "What? At least one of you could get off your asses to do a little cleaning! This place looks worse than my brother's room." He stepped over the trash and made his way to the kitchen, which seemed to hold the only space to stand freely. Antonio followed him.

"They're busy with work so they don't have a lot of time. Or they're usually too tired," he chuckled and added, "I usually am too."

The Italian crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, giving the bastard a pointed look.

"What do you do anyway?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, he moved across from him and mirrored his stance.

"Oh! I haven't told you yet. I'm studying photography at the local arts college. I love to take pictures of sceneries—especially nature—and candid moments of people."

Romano hummed. So he went to his school after all. Though, the photography department was across campus the other direction. That explained why he never saw him. The boy cocked his head.

"I'm in the paint and drawing department there."

"How weird! We go to the same school!" Antonio declared cheerfully and asked, "What do you draw?"

The boy thought back to the many sketches in his book of the Spaniard in front of him. He coughed and tried to change the subject.

"Nothing special. So, photography? You any good?"

Antonio flashed that beautiful smile of his—he admitted it was nice, all right?—and pointed at his fridge.

Raising an eyebrow, the Italian moved his eyes to look at the pictures scattered all over the refrigerator. Romano was impressed. He had believed that they were postcards or something when he passed by. They were mostly of scenery—of mountains and sunsets. Some had people in them, specifically two men he did not recognize but looked annoying by the look on their smug faces.

Unconsciously, Romano lifted his hand to feel all the pictures, as if they would come to life if he did so.

"They're beautiful." He whispered in a trance. Antonio stood there stunned, surprised by the first compliment he had ever received from the man. Romano blinked and realized his mistake as he stepped back.

"I-I mean, they aren't bad. You take too much of nature, bastard."

Antonio let out a brilliant laugh much stronger and addicting than all his others.

"Wha-what's so funny, jerk?" Romano interrogated as red covered his face. He shyly held up a finger to his mouth and nibbled nervously on his nail.

"You look like a tomato again," Antonio moved forward, and a more seductive tone suddenly filled his voice, "I want to eat you up."

Romano swallowed but didn't respond with an insult. How could he, when he was lost in those green eyes that captured his own?  
"W-wha—what are you saying…" He trailed off as the Spaniard forced him back. Antonio placed his hands on both sides of the Italian, officially pinning him to the counter. He felt like prey trapped by a predator, but he didn't try to move away.

In fact, he seemed to be moving towards him, too.

Romano felt Antonio's hot breath on his face, sending a shiver down his back as the man over him moved downwards, almost reaching his lips—

"Antonio, mon ami~! Are you home?"

An accented voice filled the air, breaking Romano out of the trance. A long-haired, blonde man that Romano recognized from the pictures came from around the corner. Romano shoved Antonio away as far as he could and attempted to cover the raging blush on his face. The blonde just smirked all-knowingly and leaned against the door frame.

"Well, well, well~ Did I interrupt something?"

Antonio, who was nursing his back from the impact of the counter, held a look that almost bordered on dangerous as he locked eyes with his roommate and friend. But just as fast as it had come, it was gone, replaced with his usual smile.

"Hola, Francis. What are you doing home?" Francis inspected his nails, which were perfectly filed.

"Ah, I turned in the manuscript early. Now," Francis' eyes shifted to Romano, "Won't you introduce me to this handsome young monsieur~?"

Romano crossed his arms and ignored the hungry glare in the Frenchman's eyes. Antonio stepped in front of him and laughed awkwardly.

"This is Romano." He turned to Romano and gestured to the blonde man. "And this is Francis."

Francis bowed.

"Pleasure~"

"Screw you."

The Frenchman, who was not affected by the Italian's rude nature, flicked his hair and winked at Romano.

"Oh ho ho~ You're a feisty one."

Romano growled, ready to attack him, but was pulled back by Antonio, who was chuckling. The bastard!

"Do you mind giving us some time to speak?"

Francis pouted and then grinned. "Trying to get rid of me, mon ami? I just got here. And I brought you churros."

He held up a brown paper bag. Antonio beamed.

"Oh, Churros! Gracias." Antonio snatched the bag like a kid would candy, and started munching on the cylinder sugary snacks. He turned to Romano, who was staring incredulously at him, and held one out to him.

"Want one?"

Mouth still open, Romano shook his head and scowled.

"I'm not wasting any more time with you churro bastards. Ciao." He stalked out of the cramped kitchen, navigating around the two perplexed men and heading for the front door. It took a moment for the Spaniard to catch up and run after him.

"Romano, wait!"

The Italian turned to face him and clicked his tongue.

"What do you want, bastard?"

"Just stop… stop running away, please." Antonio pleaded, resting his hands on the boy's shoulders. Romano's eyes widened at his serious tone and looked down at their feet.

"I'm not…I really have to go home. It's past nine and my brother's already texted thirty fucking times… He's waiting outside." He told truthfully and pointed his thumb towards the outside.

Antonio blinked blankly and laughed downward.

"Sorry," he let go of his shoulders, "I didn't know Francis was going come home early and—" Romano cut in before he could say any more embarrassing things.

"It's ok. Really, idiot." The Spaniard smiled and pulled the Italian into a hug. The younger struggled against him.

"H-hey! Get off me, bastard!"

Antonio laughed sweetly and let him go.

"Goodnight, Romano."

The boy stared at him for a moment before unexpectedly blushing and looking away again. Antonio cocked his head questionably and was about to ask him what was wrong when Romano placed a quick but sweet kiss on his cheek.

The Spaniard stood there stunned, hand shooting up to feel the heat radiating on his skin. Blushing madly and frowning, Romano backed out the doorway.

"Goodnight, tomato bastard."

And then he slammed the door in his face.

* * *

A/N: Tsundere much, Romano? :)


	3. Chapter 3: Mind Your Own Business!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 3: Mind Your Own Business!**

"You…you…You're WHAT?"

Feliciano grinned like a fool and held out his left hand. There, on his ring finger, was a sparkling red tomato ring.

"Ludwig asked me to marry him! I'm so happy, ve~"

Romano stared disbelievingly at the younger Italian, who was practically jumping in his seat and waving his hand around excitedly. The two brothers had went out to an Italian restaurant to get some late brunch that Saturday. Green vines entwined with little white lights wrapped around the archway at the entrance and made its way across a metal pergola that covered the whole room. The tables were covered with red and white picnic cloths, and a beautiful mural of a country home with a field of flowers was painted on the wall at the back of the room. The combination of every specific detail created a peaceful and authentic atmosphere that had you feeling like you were actually in Italy.

Therefore, the older Italian was hoping to relax and enjoy some pasta, but then Feli had bombarded him with his shocking news.

Feliciano Vargas was going to marry Ludwig Beilschmidt.

His fucking brother was going to marry _that_ potato bastard.

And he wanted Romano to be his best man.

Well wasn't this shitty?

"You've got to be fucking kidding me." The boy finally spit out, distaste dripping from his words.

"Please, Romano," his brother pleaded with wide eyes and a convincing pout, "You're my beloved fratello. It has to be you."

The older Italian ignored him as he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. Leaning across the table, Feliciano grabbed his brother's hand and detangled his arms.

"I know you and Ludwig don't get along very well, but he's a really sweet guy that makes me happy, and…" Feli looked up at him with love-filled eyes, "I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

Groaning, Romano ran his free hand through his hair. Oh, he was good. His younger brother was just too skilled at guilt tripping him. Even as a child, Feli could get almost anything out of anyone as long as he played his cards right. Romano was very often a victim. But this time, his brother probably really meant what he was saying. And he was so god damn sappy about it—it was annoying. Sighing, the older Italian pulled out of his brother's grip and took a sip of his coffee. He gave Feli a pointed look.

"Fine. I'll do it. But just for you, not for that potato bastard!"

A wonderful smile grew across Feliciano's face. The wooden chair squeaked across the stone floor as the boy jumped up and into his brother's lap.

"I love you, Roma~! Thank you sooo much! It's going to be such a fun wedding! Ve~" Romano struggled to peel off the leachy limbs of his brother.

"Yeah, yeah. Get off me now, idiota."

His brother giggled and complied, returning to his seat. A flash of mischief sparked in the younger Italian's eyes as he watched his brother from across the table.

"So…have you met anyone new, fratello?" Romano's eyes instantly snapped to Feli's in a moment of silent surprise. Oh god. What did his brother know?

"W-what…what makes you say that?" he said calmly.

Feliciano drummed his fingertips on the wooden table surface and grinned almost innocently. Almost.

"You're happier. Calmer. Coming home late. Lost in your own thoughts more. Spending lots of time in your room—" Romano blushed and waved his hands in front of himself.

"Ok! I get it! That's enough."

The younger brother waited patiently as Romano struggled with his words.

"Err…there might be… some…one…" He mumbled so quietly you could barely hear him, but Feliciano had sharp ears.

"Oh! I knew it! What kind of person are they?" He asked happily.

Romano twiddled his thumbs and thought about it.

"Umm… he's annoying and stupid," he began slowly, thinking of what to say, "He can barely take care of himself. He's always smiling and laughing, like he has no damn care in world—its irritating! But…he's kind and sweet and…" _I think I like him a lot._

Romano left it at that and scowled at the forced affection he had to show for the bastard. He raised his eyes to meet his brother's, who was smiling like a fool and giggling.

"He sounds perfect for you! When do I get to meet him?"

"Yeah, Romano? When do we get to meet him?"

The deep, manly voice that rang out was not of either sibling, but of someone else's. Romano flew up in his seat and Feli squealed in delight as they looked up to see their muscular and handsome grandfather, who was staring down at them with a huge smile. The man looked like a combination of the two siblings with two stray curls on their respective sides. Even at an old age, he had a youthful face that always expressed his casual manner and jovialness. Feliciano jumped up and hugged his grandfather lovingly.

"Nonno!" The buff man just laughed and returned the hug two-fold.

"Ve-e~, Y-you're crushing me, g-grandpa." Feli breathed out shallowly.

"Oh! Sorry, sorry!" Nonno loosened his grip and set the boy back on the ground, "Now, how are my two favorite grandsons doing?"

They both gave positive responses as Nonno pulled a chair from another table up to theirs. The man held up his hands and gestured to their surroundings.

"You two always come here to eat. Why did you move out anyway? Come back and live with your lonely, old grandpa. The restaurant could use a few helping hands as it is." He pouted. Romano scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Not a chance, you carefree, old man. We had to practically feed ourselves through high school." The oldest man chuckled.

"Feliciano made such a brilliant cook though," he turned to the younger brother, "Come cook for me?"

The youngest Italian smiled politely, but shook his head.

"I'm still in school and not nearly as good as you! Besides, I told you—Ludwig and I are getting married. We'll need to get our own house soon~"

Nonno waved his hand. "Ah, well, we all knew that was going to happen sooner or later. Congratulation, by the way." He ruffled the younger Italian's hair and sent him a grin.

Their grandfather turned to the silent Romano, who was now realizing the potential of him actually being married. Feli would have to move out? What was the older Italian going to do then? Didn't his brother need him?

Nonno turned his head and smirked at his older grandson.

"Now, I'm curious about this young fellow pursuing Romano."

This snapped Romano out of his thoughts. The boy groaned and aimlessly twisted his fork in his hand. Couldn't they just leave him alone?

"Huh? That bastard? No, we aren't together." His grandfather raised an eyebrow.

"You two must be something if he's worth mentioning." Damn these people and their analyzing. But it was the truth! Romano really didn't know where they were, or whether Antonio really liked him.

"M-mind… mind your own business." He mumbled weakly. Nonno nodded silently and sat there for a moment before pursing out his bottom lip.

"Does he have a job?"

Romano glared at his grandfather, but eventually gave a conceding sigh.

"Yes. He works at a coffee near the college we go to."

"What does he study?" Nonno inquired further.

"Photography."

"What's his name?"

Romano stood up and scowled menacingly at the man.

"Nonno! You're not going to do a background search like you did with the potato bastard, are you?" Their grandfather grinned and rubbed the back of his head guiltily.

"Ah, maybe…"

Romano reached over to punch him as Nonno shielded himself and laughed nervously.

"Ok! No, I won't! I promise!"

The angry Italian settled down and leaned back in the wooden chair.

"It's Antonio."

Both Feliciano and Nonno cocked their heads. Smirking, the oldest man leaned back in his chair and arched an eyebrow.

"Oh, Spanish?"

"The country of passion, ve?" Feli added dreamily. Their grandfather snickered and nudged the younger brother.

"Guess it would take extreme romance to sweep him off his feet!"

Romano growled and clenched his fists as the two burst out laughing. This was why he didn't tell people anything!

"If you bastards are going to make fun of me, I'm leaving."

Both his brother and grandpa wiped away tears and shook their heads.

"Sorry fratello! It's very sweet, in my opinion. Ludwig isn't very good at the romantic stuff, but he tries! You're lucky!" Feli exclaimed happily. Romano scowled and turned away from his family skeptically, while Nonno leaned forward.

"So, when do we meet him?" The older Italian clicked his tongue.

"Never, if you two are going to act like this!"

The two across from him pouted while he sent them a wavering glare. Stupid brother. Stupid grandfather. Making him feel guilty for yelling at them. Giving in, Romano scratched his cheek and avoided their eyes.

"Maybe soon… I don't know. We'll see…"

The two men perked up and smiled. Nonno turned to Feliciano and held a hand over his mouth, as if he was telling the boy a secret.

"You're right. He's so much calmer now."

Romano stormed out of the restaurant, leaving his idiot grandfather and brother to nurse their head wounds.

~x~

"Antonio! Watch the cup!"

"Oh—shit!"

Antonio cringed and cursed as the freshly brewed hot coffee spilled over onto his hand. While he popped his index finger into his mouth, Elizaveta stared at him and shook her head.

"Really? Be careful! That was the third time today." She exasperated and flicked off the milk frother machine.

"Sow-wy," he mumbled with his finger in between his lips. Washing his hands and wiping the cup clean with a towel, he handed it off to the irritated customer with a quick apology.

The man leaned tiredly on the counter and sighed heavily. They were at the peak of business at the coffee shop, and it was just now finally starting to settle down. Antonio had been off his game—burning himself several times and mixing up a few orders. He probably would have been in trouble if it weren't for the fact that his boss liked him too much to let him go.

It wasn't his fault he was so distracted. All he could think about was his cute Italian—cheeks puffed and red—sporting his signature scowl and spewing insults. If he let his mind explore further, it'd take him back to the moment when Romano had unexpectedly graced him with a kiss upon his cheek. It was short and simple, but Antonio could swear he could still feel his touch lingering there, forever imprinted. Did that mean the boy liked him? He hoped so. The brunette was slowly beginning to understand his quirks, and the truth behind the insults and sensitive attitude. And they had almost kissed in the kitchen—he was sure of it—before Francis had ruined the moment. Even though they were both adults, the Frenchman still treated him like a child and had teased him the whole time after the Italian had left. If he could, he would have just preferred to keep his Romano all to himself, away from his rambunctious friends. At least it hadn't been Gilbert that had walked in. The self-proclaimed Prussian never would have let him live it down.

Hanging his head in his hands, Antonio stared out the window. It had been two days since he had seen Romano, and he had no way of contacting him. He would have to ask for his phone number when he saw him the next time. Or even better, ask him on a date! They could go somewhere romantic like the park or a restaurant! Maybe he could even save up some of his work money and take him somewhere really nice? Yes, perfect.

"Are you just going to sit there like an idiot, or are you going to take my order?"

Antonio awoke from his daydream to see his familiar Italian standing in front of him, scowling. Romano was wearing a dark blue V-neck tee that cut off right above his faded black jeans. Although it was a simple outfit, the Italian certainly knew how to make it look good. Forcing himself to peel his eyes off the boy's body, the Spaniard looked up at his face and gave him his best smile.

"Roma~! How are you?"

The boy's cheeks were slightly pink as he scoffed.

"I've been better."

This threw off the brunette. Sure, he had expected _fine,_ _bastard _or_ mind your own business_, but not an actual, honest answer.

"What's bothering you, mi tomate?"

Romano shot him a glare at the nickname and stuffed the points of his fingers in his pockets.

"Don't call me that, bastard! And…well…it's nothing, but my family's stupid and my brother's getting _married_." The Italian said the last word as if it was poison. Ignoring it, Antonio grinned.

"That's exciting news! He must be so happy!" However, Romano showed no sign that he agreed. The boy frowned and dropped his gaze to stare emptily at the tea assortments on the top of the high counter top.

"Yeah, he is. He's really happy."

The Spaniard noticed the boy's distress and, after a moment, turned his head towards his boss, who had been watching them the whole time with a smirk on her face. She nodded and gave him a shooing motion. Antonio turned back to the Italian, who was lost in his thoughts, and regained his attention when he spoke up.

"I'm about to go on break. Want to talk about it?"

The boy looked reluctant as he stared at Antonio warily. Stepping back and crossing his arms, Romano hesitantly nodded.

"Only because I have nothing better to do. At least get me my coffee first, bastard!"

Antonio laughed and stood up, rubbing his elbows that ached from leaning on the counter.

"Of course, of course. Lo siento. Espresso right?"

Feeling in the mood for some more meat, Romano also asked for the apple smoked ham sandwich. He pulled out the right amount of money, but Antonio beat him to the punch and bought the two items for him against the Italian's protests not to. The Spaniard chuckled as Romano sent him a silent glare and furrowed his brow indignantly.

"I wanted to. Don't worry about it." Antonio said as they walked towards the seating area. The metal buttons of their jeans scratched across the brown leather as they slid into one of the round couches. Romano adjusted himself and groaned.

"Whatever, bastard. You win this time."

Eager to get some food into his system since he missed breakfast, Romano took a bite out of his sandwich and was instantly struck with the distinct taste of the smoked meat. Ah, that hit the spot. Antonio grinned even larger than usual and watched the Italian eat, who noticed and stopped chewing.

"Stop watching… it's creepy." The Italian mumbled, avoiding his gaze. Antonio rubbed the back of his head shyly.

"I helped make the sandwiches today, so I was wondering how I did."

Romano swallowed down a piece and looked at the sandwich. He had made this? If that was the case, he wasn't a bad cook at all. In fact, this was something his brother would make, and he was a cook!

"They're… not totally horrible." He mumbled as a huge smile grew on the Spaniard's face.

"Really? I'm so happy!" Romano's heart flipped at the sight of his beautiful expression. Red spread over the Italian's face.

"D-don't get so cocky, jerk! I could make this better than you any day!" Antonio chuckled and twirled his finger at the sandwich.

"I though your brother was the one that cooked."

Romano rested his head in his hand and leaned on the table.

"I'm Italian. Of course I can cook. My brother is just to one that wants to do it for a living." The brunette raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"Oh? You should come over and we can have a food contest! It'd be fun! You could invite your brother too!" Antonio suggested excitedly.

The boy puffed out his cheeks and huffed. "Who said I wanted to cook with you anyway? And I'm not letting you anywhere near my brother."

Antonio sat his head on his knuckles and leaned forward on the heels of his elbows.

"Huh, why not?"

"B-because…" _I'm afraid you'll like my brother more than me, just like everyone else. _"I can't deal with two idiots in the same room. You two would probably set the kitchen on fire!" He decided to say, but didn't meet the Spaniard's eyes. The man pouted in response.

"Aw, Roma. I promise we'll be careful."

"Not a chance." The boy growled out and clenched his fists tightly. Humming, Antonio looked up at the ceiling before grinning and looking to the Italian.

"Then…let's do something else." A questioning look fell upon Romano's face as he locked eyes with the Spaniard.

"Huh?"

Slender fingers intertwined with the Italian's own, causing him to jump slightly at the sudden contact. Antonio grinned and leaned closer to the nervous boy in front of him.

"Let's go on a date."

Romano turned red—Antonio noted, like a tomato—and started to stammer.

"W-wha…what? I don't—I barely—why would I…ack, you jerk!"

The blushing boy tried to pull his hand away, but Antonio had their laced fingers in a tight grip. He lifted his other hand and began counting off options.

"We could go to a movie! Or a restaurant. Or a picnic. Anywhere you want."

The man turned back to Romano, whose mouth was gaping open and closed like a fish. He blushed even redder when Antonio leaned closer to him with half lidded his eyes and a sweet smile he bet no one could resist.

"Please say yes."

Romano blinked several times and swallowed harshly.

"Umm…I…uh, ok…bastard." He muttered quietly and dropped his head to hide his bright cheeks. That damn Spaniard…and his persuasiveness!

A high-pitched squeal from the other side of the café attracted their attention. The two boys looked up to see the Hungarian woman staring at them, blood dripping from her nose and eyes filled with sparkles. Romano glanced at Antonio and tried to look unsuspicious.

"Who's that crazy lady ogling us?" He said nonchalantly as Antonio chuckled and laid his arm across the back of their seat behind Romano.

"Elizaveta. She's my boss. And apparently a huge boy's love fan." Antonio said with a hint of disturbance. It was a strange obsession for a grown woman to pursue.

Elizaveta, disappointed that they were no longer focused on each other, frowned and grabbed two pink cake pops covered in white sprinkles from the fridge. She then placed the two pops next to each other and tapped them together.

"K-I-S-S." She mouthed to the two confused boys, and demonstrated with the pops again.

Understanding her request, the Spaniard and the Italian blushed and quickly moved away from each other in embarrassment. Looks like he hadn't been kidding. Romano concluded that she probably wasn't going to be a problem for him.

"Uh… she seems nice." The auburn-haired boy said as more of a question than a statement. Elizaveta pouted and pointed up at the white clock on the wall, which read past one o'clock.

"Oh! I overstayed my break," The Spaniard stood up and looked down at the Italian with surprise, "Oh! We didn't get to talk about why you weren't having a good day. I'm sorry."

Romano waved him away.

"It's nothing, bastard. I can handle my own problems. Besides, I feel a little better now." He admitted timidly. Antonio leaned down and pecked Romano's cheek, causing the boy to turn red once again. His eyes locked onto his own.

"I know. But I want to help you. Here."

The sound of something scratching across the table echoed in the boy's ears. Half-entranced, Romano looked down at the piece of paper the man had given him to find numbers on it. Antonio retied his green apron and started to walk back to the counter.

"My number. Call me so we can set up the date. Oh! And if you're ever late for the train."

He winked at Romano, causing the boy to regain control over his senses and scowl. The Italian stood up as well and walked to the glass doors. Before he walked through them, he looked back at the Spaniard.

"W-whatever, bastard! I'll do whatever the hell I want."

And with that, he was gone. Antonio just grinned and went back to work, immersed in a world of happiness.

However, he still managed to burn himself four more times.

Pure happiness couldn't cure stupidity.

~x~

"Today, I want all of you to think about what makes you happy! What drives you. What makes you want to smile and laugh in your everyday lives."

Romano groaned, but reluctantly listened to his peppy professor. He was a short blonde man with a strong Finnish accent and a permanent cheerful smile. The man looked rather young and could easily be mistaken as a student himself. He never stayed in one place and bounced around the lecture area, encouraging students to share their artwork and to paint a story with their utensils. The Italian didn't mind the man, but he didn't care for him either. After all, he could only deal with so many lively people in his life.

Professor Väinämöinen (who requested his students call him by his first name, Tino, due to his ridiculously hard to pronounce last name) moved around the room, describing their next project.

"Now, channel that happiness and energy into a physical form of art, any type that you wish. I want to see what you kids can do!" Turning on his heels, the Finnish man pointed at his audience, "You might just discover something new about yourself, or a side of yourself you never realized. This will be due in a month, so get to it and start planning! Class dismissed!"

This man was so god damn sprightly, it gave Romano a headache. Massaging his forehead, the boy thought about what he was going to do. What made him happy? That was a tough one. There were a lot of things that made him unhappy, but not so much for the other case.

Sighing, Romano put his sketchbook back into his bag and slid out of the cramped desk to walk down the stairs. His mind vaguely registered the strange exchange between his friendly professor and the woodcarving instructor, who wore a daunting look on his expressionless face that sent kids the opposite way. However, the small Finnish man seemed unaffected by his demeanor and hugged the tall Swedish man enthusiastically.

So that was happiness, huh?

Exiting the building, the Italian walked over to an empty wooden bench and sat down, spreading his legs out and looking up at the sky. It was blue and beautiful, wide and free—he admired it. He wished everything was simple. Pulling out his cell phone, the boy stared at the screen and scrolled down to the name he had input yesterday but never called.

Antonio—the idiotic, attractive Spanish man that invaded his thoughts too often and made it difficult for him to focus. He was thoughtful and kind and good and just _perfect_. But it was for those reasons that he hadn't called him yet.

Romano hated to admit it, but he was scared.

What if he was just messing with him? What if this was all a joke? Antonio had so much going for him—looks, the personality, the charisma, the talent. What did Romano have? A messed-up personality, lack of friends, an inferiority complex to his brother, the list went on.

_Please say yes. _

_I want to help you. _

Antonio's heavenly voice echoed in his head. He leaned over and pressed his lips into a thin line.

Maybe…

Romano looked at his phone and hovered his thumb over _Antonio_ in his contacts.

Just maybe…

Exhaling shakily, he pressed the man's name and held the phone up to his ear.

He could trust him.

After the first two rings, the Spaniard picked up.

"_Hola! Antonio speaking~"_

Romano's heart skipped a beat as felt his palms grow sweaty.

"W-why are you so chipper, bastard?" Antonio's voice peeked with excitement.

"_Romano? Is that you?"_

The Italian rolled his eyes, even though he knew he couldn't see him.

"No, it's the fucking delivery guy." The man was silent for a moment.

"_Larry?"_

Romano groaned. "No, bastard. It's me."

"_Uh…Charlie? If it's about the last package, I asked Gilbert—" _Antonio's voice was filled with confusion before Romano cut him off.

"God, you're hopeless," the boy sighed, "Yes, it's Romano."

_"Ah, Romano! I'm so glad you called! I almost thought you weren't going to, since you didn't show up at the shop today."_ There was hint of hurt in the boy's voice, one that Romano found he didn't like at all. The Italian sighed and shifted the phone to the other ear.

"I had a project due that afternoon, and I had to put some last minute touches on it." He said truthfully. It had taken him an all-nighter and extra hours in the studio to get it done.

"_Oh, really? That's a relief! At least you got it done!"_

"Yeah, I've got some free time now before my next project." Romano bit his lip, hoping the bastard would take the hint.

Antonio was silent for a moment. _"Romano…do you…do you want to do something tonight?"_

Romano's breath hitched in his throat as he tried to suppress a smile. As happy as he was, he still had to play it cool. Romano logic.

"W-well, I have nothing better to do. What did you have in mind?"

The Italian could practically feel the radiating smile of the bastard.

_"I was thinking we could go for some pizza and ice cream."_

Romano hummed in agreement. "Better be a good pizza joint. There's a lot of crappy ones around here."

"_How about Alessio's?"_

Tired of leaning over, Romano sat up and mulled over his suggestion. Alessio's was a fairly decent restaurant that a lot of local college students visited for cheap pizza and the latest football game to watch with their friends. The boy clicked his tongue thoughtfully.

"It isn't too bad. I guess that works."

"_Great! I get off at six, want to meet me in front of the shop?"_

"Ok. I'll be there, tomato bastard." Antonio laughed pleasantly.

"_Can't wait. See you soon."_

Romano hung up the call and stared at it blankly, his mind still with Antonio. A little content smile may have even slipped onto his face as he stood up and headed to his last class.

* * *

A/N: Yay! Next chapter, the date :)


	4. Chapter 4: Never Trust Blondes

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter Four: Never Trust Blondes with Large Handbags**

"Dude so, like, where's the guy?"

A man with straw, blonde hair inquired as he clamped onto Romano's shoulder as they walked down the moderately crowded street. Cursing at the sudden weight, Romano glared at the skinny boy, who wore a pink tank top with short blue shorts, attached to him.

"I told you not to come with me." The boy turned his head to him and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Eh! Like, it's payment for the clothes. I get to see the hottie and he gets to see you in such a hot outfit!" He pointed down at Romano's clothes, which consisted of a nice, red dress shirt with a few button undone at the top and tight black skinny jeans.

"I never agreed to that, bastard!" The Italian growled and pushed him off forcefully. Stumbling back, the boy almost hit a lady and her child before regaining his footing. The woman sent the two boys a dirty look before scampering off. The blonde, however, wasn't fazed and rolled his eyes dramatically.

"Yeah, yeah. Now keep that cute ass of yours moving. You're going to be late."

Romano moaned and rubbed his forehead.

How did he let this happen?

~x~

_Romano had been aimlessly drawing in his sketchbook once his last class had ended, needing to kill time before he met up with Antonio. Since he had no one around to bother him, he decided to actually focus on drawing the object of his affections. He tried over and over again to draw the Spaniard's eyes, but he couldn't seem to get them right. As cheesy as it sounded, not even a pencil could capture their beauty. Giving up, he went on to create his lips and attempted to illustrate his various expressions—sad, angry, happy, surprised, and so on._

_It fascinated him to draw the man, though if anyone ever found out, he was sure to roll up into a corner and die. As if calling upon the devil, a coy voice sounded behind him. _

"_Ooh. Who's Mr. Sexy?"_

_Romano jumped, sending a few of his sketching utensils on the floor. The Italian turned around to see a blonde boy named Feliks leaning down from his desk and smiling mischievously at Romano. He remembered him from that time when their professor had singled him out for painting his nails during a lecture. "It's, like, totally necessary. I need something to keep me awake, anyway," He had said. That hadn't gone well. Romano was surprised the professor let him stay in the class. Picking up his fallen pencils, Romano quickly closed up his book to hide the evidence and sent him his best "leave me alone" look._

"_Mind your own business, asshole."_

_Feliks rested his head in his hands and booed._

"_That's, like, no way to be nice. Tell me! Is it unrequited or mutual?" _

_God, who was this kid? The gossip queen? Romano gave him his best glare and normally would have ignored someone that bothered him, but this was dealing with Antonio…and he secretly wanted to rub it in someone's face…just a little. _

"_We're going out tonight." Romano said confidently. _

_Feliks' green eyes sparkled as he moved down to sit in the seat next to the Italian. Squeezing into the small desk easily, the boy leaned back. _

"_Who would have, like, thought!" Feliks smirked but then frowned, "Oh wait, please tell me you aren't going out in that hideous get-up." The boy pointed down at his clothes in disgust._

_Romano followed his gaze to stare at his clothes, which was a plaid green shirt and his old jeans that were covered in paint stains and rips. Did this really look that bad? _

"_I don't have anything else." He admitted, inspecting his shirt to find holes in it. Feliks grinned and grabbed his large designer handbag, which looked 10x heavier than it should have been, from under his previous desk._

"_Never fear! Feliks and his wonderful collections of outfits is here!" The Polish boy sang as he pulled out some tight skinny jeans and a red shirt. He threw them at Romano, which the boy had to catch as they ricocheted in various directions, as he searched through his bag. The Italian frowned and examined the clothes. They were pretty nice—perfect for date. _

"_I don't really need these…wait, why do you have a damn closet in your backpack?" Romano inquired, holding up the articles of clothing._

_With a serious expression and knit eyebrows, Feliks snatched the clothes back and examined them before nodding and handing them back. _

"_Trust me, honey. You'll thank me later. I go on dates like all the time with my boyfriend, so I like to at least wear…" He mouthed words and touched his fingertips, "Like three outfits by the end of the day."_

"_God damn. What the hell? Why not just one?" Romano stared incredulously at him. This boy was crazy. Feliks groaned and mocked the Italian's tone in a whiny girl accent. _

"'_Just one', they say. That's so boring! Toris says he doesn't care what I wear, but I know he likes all my outfits. He's just too shy to tell me." _

_Romano watched Feliks smile lovingly, which was strange to see coming from the always joking blond. He must really care for this Toris kid. Wait…_

"_Is that the guy that you always make carry your bags and books every day after class like a slave?" _

_Feliks winked at him._

"_Yep!"_

_~x~_

So there they were an hour later, walking up to Antonio's cafe, nerves taking over the Italian. He mentally kicked himself. Why was he getting so worked up over the tomato bastard anyway? They had seen each other a couple times and they were only getting pizza and ice cream, like normal college kids. There was nothing to freak out about.

Romano felt an arm slip over his shoulder again as they stood in front of the shop. Feliks' smirked.

"Don't be so tense. You're hot. Own it!"

The Italian growled and elbowed the blond in the rib. No reaction. God, this kid was tough. What would he have to do to get the boy to leave him alone? The only reason he hadn't thrown him into traffic by now was because he had let him use his clothes, which were probably expensive.

"Get off me, bastard. You're ruining the outfit." He pointed out.

Feliks pouted, but complied. So fashion was the only way to reason with him. Figured. Shielding his eyes from the sun that was not yet set, Feliks studied the shop.

"So this is where that Spanish hottie works, huh? Maybe I'll stop by sometime—" He wondered aloud before Romano cut in with a growl.

"Not in your lifetime, asshole."

Feliks smirked and poked the Italian's shoulder.

"Oh, protective, are we?" Romano didn't answer, but still sent him a pretty clear glare. Ignoring it, Feliks stepped up to the glass and peered in.

"Is it the guy with that ridiculous grin working the counter?" The boy mumbled into the glass and turned to wait for his confirmation. The Italian crossed his arms and nodded hesitantly.

The boy's fingerprints smudged onto the window as he sent Romano a leer.

"You're right. He's, like, a sexy Spanish beast!"

Romano blushed and pulled the thin fabric of his shirt to get him away from the window.

"I-I never said that!" Feliks arched an eyebrow.

"You didn't have to, honey."

~x~

Untying his apron and hanging it up on the rack, Antonio sighed and pulled his arms over his head in a stretch. The day had dragged on lazily before the clock finally read the number he wanted. Finally, he could see his Italian and spend a nice, romantic evening with him. It was their first date! The Spaniard smiled like a fool. What could be better than that?

A movement out of the corner of his eye attracted his attention to the window, where a weird boy that could be mistaken for a girl stood staring through it. Perplexed, he watched as the blonde turned to another person standing behind him, who was in a blind spot until he moved closer and revealed himself to be a blushing Romano. Antonio frowned. His tomato was here on time, but who…who was that other guy?

~x~

Romano groaned and shoved his hands in the pockets of his black jeans. He had successfully gotten Feliks away from the window, but Antonio was going to show up any minute. He'd rather not have to deal with explaining why Feliks was there before their date.

"Ok, you saw him. Now leave." Feliks pouted.

"But I want to see his reaction to my magnificent fashion sense." Romano started to push him in the direction of which they came.

"No. I don't think he'll care that much. It's just clothes."

Spinning around, Feliks gasped in astonishment and held a hand up to his mouth.

"_Just_ clothes? You just don't want him to see you with me, huh? You afraid he'll get jealous~?" Feliks smiled smugly as if he had hit the nail on the head and jumped onto Romano's back. Although the Polish boy was fairly skinny, he still had a major effect on the Italian's mobility.

"G-get off me, you son of a bitch!" Romano breathed out as he stumbled around.

"Never~!" Feliks wined.

"I will throw you into the street and not care if someone runs over you twenty times."

Shifting a little and hugging the boy harder, Feliks suddenly yelled loudly, "Oh, Roma! I loveee youuuuu~"

As the Italian built up a growl, someone cleared their throat from behind them. Romano, who was shouldering Feliks, turned around in swift motion to see Antonio standing there, staring at the ground with an uncomfortable expression on his face.

"Uh…hi." He said in an awkward tone as he rubbed his neck and avoided to meet their eyes.

"Antonio." Romano said aloud, surprised to see him like this. Where was that idiotic grin? What the hell was up the bastard? Covertly looking over Antonio, Feliks jumped off his back and rested his hands on the sides of his hips. Although the Spaniard was distressed, the Polish boy didn't miss the way he checked out the befuddled Italian. Feliks smacked his hands together.

"Well my work here is done. Too-da-loo~!"

Before Romano could protest, Feliks was already skipping down the street and off around the corner. Oh, come on! The little fucker had done that on purpose! Leaving the Italian to clean up his mess! The couple stood their awkwardly for a few moments before Romano realized that he should do something. Scowling, the boy stepped towards his befuddled date.

"Ready to go, bastard?"

Antonio blinked out of his thoughts and looked up at him. Ah, he wasn't smiling. Romano swallowed. He didn't like that…not at all. The Spaniard offered him a small curve of the lips—Romano knew it was forced but it was better than him not trying at all—and laughed weakly.

"Of course. Let's go then."

A painful silence hung between them as they walked down the street. It made Romano feel horrible. There was barely anyone around them, so the silence was even more noticeable. Damn bastard. This wasn't how their first date was supposed to go! It was supposed to be filled with Antonio's sweet laughter and stupid smiles and Romano's scowls and resistance.

The boy glanced at his date, who solemnly hung his head low and let his brown locks fall over his eyes. Was he really that effected by Feliks' actions? Sure the boy had just been fooling around, trying intentionally to make his date jealous, but he didn't expect him to actually succeed. Maybe it was something that happened earlier, like a bad customer or personal problems? But then wouldn't he have at least tried to appear normal, and bother the Italian like he usually did? This was all so frustrating and stupid! There was nothing for him to be jealous of!

Maybe…maybe he'd return to normal if he just told him that?

Romano poked him in the side roughly and raised his voice, "What's wrong, you jerk?"

Antonio barely flinched at the jab and blinked.

"Huh?"

"Why aren't you being your usual annoying happy self?" Romano growled out.

The man stared at the frustrated Italian and sent an apologetic smile his way.

"I'm sorry, Romano. I was just caught up in my own thoughts." Romano grabbed the collar of his white dress shirt and looked him in the eye.

"Then stop thinking, idiot! There's nothing to think about, er, except for this..."

"Romano, I—"

The Italian pulled the Spaniard forward and pressed his lips to his own in a feverish kiss. He moved against Antonio's frozen ones, only hoping that he had made the right move. When the boy didn't respond, dread filled Romano as he pulled away, blushing madly. Oh god, Antonio had been joking with him, hadn't he? And he had just kissed him like a lovesick idiot. Romano bit his lip and looked away.

"We can just forget—"

And then Antonio's lips were on his, kissing him senseless. His confusion couldn't even get the better of him as he melted into the Spaniard's arms as they wrapped around his body and pushed him against the brick wall they had been walking by. The kiss was sweet and passion-filled, delicious and addicting—talk about one that took your breath away and left you weak in the knees. Romano could kiss the bastard forever.

They soon broke away when both could hardly breathe, and stared at each other, breath ragged and shallow. Antonio rested his tan hands on the wall on both sides of the Italian's head.

"I thought…" Antonio began breathlessly, "I was dreaming. That's why I didn't…" He trailed off, but looked at Romano again with renewed strength. "Don't…don't ever say that. I could never forget."

Going redder, the Italian stared at him in surprise before looking down in embarrassment and clutching onto the back of his shirt.

"Are you better now, bastard?" Antonio made his oh-so-lovable laugh and smiled like a fool down at Romano.

"Better than I've ever been in my whole life." The Spaniard leaned back up into standing position, while Romano shakily did the same.

"Good. I'd hate to have a dud for a date." The green-eyed man hummed aloud as they started to walk again.

"Usually the kiss comes at the end of the date, though."

Romano scowled and sent him a light punch, a slight pink still tinging his face. "That was your own fault, bastard."

Grabbing his hand, Antonio laced his fingers together with his. As simple as it was, it was a touch that sent electricity all over Romano's body and made him feel light-headed again.

The Spaniard leaned over and whispered into the Italian's ear. "I'll gladly take responsibility."

Chills ran up his spine as a blush spread over his face.

"B-bastard." He said, sporting the smallest of smiles and adjusting his grip to fit the Spaniard's perfectly.

~x~

As expected, the pizza place bustled with numerous college students, who were chatting with friends and watching a game of football on five flat screen televisions. Did there really need to be that many TVs in one place? The man on the screen was racing across the grass with the brown football underneath his right armpit while the opposing team chased after him like mad men. When the player reached over the coveted white line, the crowd at the bar erupted in cheers and raised their drinks in a toast.

But Antonio wasn't focused on the game. In fact, the perplexed Spaniard was watching as his cute date cut a square piece of pepperoni pizza and picked it up with a fork to put in his mouth. This continued on two more times before Romano looked up at him and arched his eyebrow.

"What?" Antonio shook his head and took a bite of his sliced pizza.

"Nothing. I've just never seen someone eat their pizza like that." Groaning, the boy leaned back in his chair.

"It's an Italian thing, you jerk. I don't know why Americans don't do it. It'd be so much less messy. Using your hands." Romano shivered and scowled just thinking about it.

The wooden table that was not bolted down to the floor shifted as Antonio adjusted his high chair.

"Did you live in Italy or something?" Romano nodded and laid his head to rest in his hand.

"I lived there until I was about fourteen. It was such a beautiful place. We had a little cottage on the outskirts of town. There was this huge field filled with white daisies I would always go to when I wanted to get away—It was nice."

The nostalgic expression on the Italian's face was peaceful and yet dark at the same time, something the Spaniard wanted to explore further. Antonio smiled and unconsciously swirled the black straw in his drink.

"It sounds wonderful. I wish I could take you there to see it again." The boy eyed him curiously, as if he was analyzing the actuality of the offer, and hmphed.

"It's probably gone now, just like everything else."

The way he said it startled Antonio. "What do you mean?"

The Italian shifted his eyes downward and sighed. "There was a fire there long ago. It destroyed plants, trees, houses, _lives_."

Something told the older man not to push further. This obviously bothered the boy, and he'd rather not make his date uncomfortable. Antonio plucked a piece of the crust off his pizza and popped it in his mouth.

"You should come to Spain! It doesn't rain too much, at least where I used to live. It was a small town where everyone knew each other and looked out for you." Antonio laughed and thought back to all the times he had tried to skip class and hang out in town, only to be sent back by the first person he ran into. Romano smirked.

"You seem like one of those small town idiots. Let me guess, you guys probably had an old woman manning the only bakery in town, one place where everyone hung out, and one grocery store." The Spaniard rubbed the back of his head and laughed.

"It was actually an old man, but details, details."

He took another bite of his pizza and a sip of his drink as he secretly congratulated himself on almost wiping the scowl off Romano's face. It was in that moment that the Italian struggled to suppress a smile and let out a small laugh—which was the about the cutest thing he'd ever heard.

"What?" The Spaniard tilted his head to the side with a smile. This only caused the boy across from him to laugh even more.

"Haha! You have—just a little." The Italian lifted his finger to scratch the side of his own cheek. Antonio mirrored his action, but that just made the boy laugh more.

"No, no! Come here, you dummy."

They both leaned forward over the table towards each other. Romano reached out his soft fingertips and brushed his thumb lightly over his left cheek. His fingers lingered there for a few moments, before he giggled and turned his wrist to reveal the red liquid on his thumb.

"You're hopeless."

Reaching for his hand and pulling it towards his face, Antonio licked the sauce off his thumb and gave him a genuine smile.

"You're beautiful."

The boy sat there in shock before yanking back his hand and hiding it under the table.

"A-asshole! What are you doing in public?" He whispered out loudly, eyes darting from side to side at the people around them. The Spaniard chuckled at the red coloring his cheeks.

"You know, you're really beautiful when you smile and laugh like that."

"N-no I'm not, bastard." He denied immediately, casting his eyes downward.

Leaning on his elbows, Antonio gave him his most serious face.

"To me, you are."

Romano stared at him mouth slightly agape, while he himself held his stern but gentle expression.

"How do you say such things so easily all the time…?" The Italian whispered, looking down into his lap with a troubled expression.

Antonio had known the boy was closed off, but not to this extent. He desired to know more about the boy and help him. Breaking down those walls was going to take work, but he would do anything to show his beloved tomate there was nothing to be afraid of. Smiling suddenly, Antonio stood up. The younger boy watch him walk over to his seat and hold out his hand.

"You just say them too little. Shall we go, mi querido?" Staying still for a moment, Romano finally reached out and rested his hand in his.

"Fine, bastard."

~x~

"Dudes! Welcome to America's famous ice cream shop! What would you like?"

A tall, smiling boy with a blonde cowlick and square glasses looked over the glass holding the ice cream at his current customers, Romano and Antonio. Temporarily ignoring him, they both peered into the glass at the various types of ice cream. There were so many—vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, cookie dough, cotton candy, butterscotch, the list went on. Antonio stood up and passed a polite smile to the hovering employee, who looked about the same age as them, before turning to a focused Romano.

"What are you thinking about getting?" Antonio inquired.

Standing up as well, Romano hummed and pressed his lips in a thin line. What did he like? There was so much to choose from. It a rainbow of deliciousness, and you could only pick one. Ah, he always hated the pressure that shops and restaurants put on you to order something quickly.

"I don't know. I'm thinking coffee," he looked at his date, "What about you?"

Resting a hand on his hip, Antonio laughed.

"You really like coffee, huh? I'm going get cinnamon~" The Italian smirked, and peered back into the glass.

"Pfft. I swear you have an addiction to sugar. You're going to get diabetes with all you eat."

The American boy, who had been watching them, piped in and smiled proudly.

"You guys should try the Fourth of July flavor! It's totally awesome."

The Italian raised an eyebrow and pointed to the Hawaiian calendar on the beige walls.

"But it's September."

Shrugging, the boy grinned. "You can never have too much American spirit, bro. Besides! It's my favorite!"

Romano wasn't convinced.

"Thanks but, uh…we'll pass."

Antonio offered a friendly smile as they all walked up to the cash machine on their respective sides.

"Can we have two scoops of cinnamon and coffee? Sugar cone, please." The Spaniard heard a quiet "of course" come from his right as the happy blond kid rung up the total.

"Sure thing!" Chilly air floated up to the ceiling and disappeared as the boy scooped their ice creams and placed them in the cones. The blonde grinned and held out their treats.

"Here you go, dudes!"

Antonio and Romano thus argued over who would pay—Antonio claiming he asked him out, therefore he should pay and Romano saying he himself should since the boy had already paid for the pizza. The Italian was victorious after the Spaniard finally conceded, and thus paid the money.

"Thanks for the business! Have a great night, you two." The American boy called and winked at them as they exited the shop. _Weird kid_, Romano thought.

They began to walk towards campus—one, because it was fairly lit at night and had some nice nature, and two, because there was nowhere else to go. Their college town was a lot smaller than others, so there were only a small amount of places students could go to hang out.

"The campus always looks so different at night~" Antonio wondered aloud as they passed buildings and trees that cast long shadows in the shine from the lamp posts. There was barely anyone on the pathway they were on, but that was okay. It felt more peaceful if no one was there. It was more special with just the two of them.

The Italian hummed in agreement to his statement and took a lick of his coffee ice cream, letting the nostalgic taste flood his taste buds. It was pleasant, he decided. He listened to their soft footsteps on the ground, and glanced at the day-dreaming Spaniard. The boy's skin glowed in the dim light, reflecting off of his content smile as he absentmindedly munched on his ice cream cone. Looking away, the boy swallowed roughly.

Romano hated to admit it, but he was probably falling in love with him.

His heart skipped a beat, tumbled over, and rattled his lungs trying to break free for every time the bastard looked at him with such a happy and ludicrous expression. He chided himself for feeling this way—it was only the first date after all!

The boy jumped and almost dropped his ice cream when he felt something touch his free hand. Acknowledging the slim fingers now wrapped around his own, Romano looked up to see those wonderful green eyes staring down at him and a playful smile gracing the man's face.

"Hey there." Antonio spoke softly. Romano blushed for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"Stop creeping up on me, you jerk." He stated loudly, but didn't try to pull his hand away. The man just chuckled and shoved the last of his cone into his mouth, just as Romano was nearing the end of his own.

"Oh! It's my department!" Antonio pointed up at building with lots of murals, and turned to the boy next to him, "Would you like to see some of work?"

With his eyes sparkling and eager smile, Romano noted that he looked like a boy at the zoo surrounded by his favorite animals. He was sort of curious too, and wondered how the ones in the studio compared to those on his refrigerator. Besides, how could he ever say no to him? So the Italian nodded, and was suddenly pulled in its direction.

"Ack! Go slower, bastard! It's not going to disappear!" Conceding, the Spaniard slowed down and matched the pace of the Italian. Antonio smiled apologetically.

"Sorry. I got excited." Romano gave him a soft squeeze and chuckled lightly.

"No, it's all right. I just thought you were acting like such a child." The boy puffed out his lip in a pout, but still held a hint of amusement.

"I am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are _too_."

"Am _not_!"

"Are not."

"Am too!"

Antonio blinked and realized his mistake as Romano smirked in triumph and held up his arm to pump his fist in the air.

"Wow. You just got owned, bastard!"

They stopped in front of the building as Antonio watched in awe at Romano's expression of accomplishment and joy. Antonio realized that his date was naturally beautiful, like many of the landscapes he encountered. But when he let happiness into his life, nothing else could compared to him. He was like a diamond hidden away and covered for many years, but when you wiped off some of the grime, it was the most amazing sight you'd ever seen.

And he was _his_ Romano.

Stepping forward, Antonio abruptly rolled the surprised boy into his arms and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips. The Italian stood there stunned, before slowly returning the kiss and wrapping his arms around his neck. They detached themselves from each other with a quiet pop and stared at each other.

"W-what was that for?" Romano questioned with slightly flushed cheeks. Antonio hugged him around the waist and pulled him closer.

"Just being you." The boy reddened immensely and shifted his eyes to the side.

"That's the cheesiest line in the book, dummy."

"Maybe," he shrugged and then looked down into his eyes, "But it's true."

Romano looked away and let his eyes roam anywhere but the boy. A moment later, he was looking back at him with a smirk on his face.

"You know what you also are?"

"What?" Antonio asked quietly.

"An idiot."

Antonio opened his mouth to protest, but then shut his mouth.

"Only sometimes."

Simpering and declaring that "he knew it", Romano walked towards the building and pulled open the door for them to enter. They walked down the hall surrounded by complete silence, aside from their echoing footsteps. There seemed to be shadows in every place, and the Italian would jump whenever he saw something move out of the corner of his eye. Antonio noticed his distress and squeezed his hand gently.

"There's nothing to be afraid of. I work late into the night sometimes." Romano's eyes shot up to the taller boy.

"Afraid? Who's afraid? I'm not…afraid." He said quickly and unconvincingly, clutching onto Antonio's hand tightly. Turning a few corners and reaching the second floor by stairs, the Spaniard finally stopped them.

"This is it!"

The couple stood in front of a door labeled "Photography" and the Italian waited as the boy next to him pulled out keys and put them in the door. The studio was large, with about six metal tables in the middle, laundry lines everywhere that held pictures, and three closed doors on the side with a sign above them labeled "Darkroom." They ducked under photo after photo until Antonio stopped in the back corner where a desk with a nameplate said "ANTONIO CARRIEDO." He had about two hundred average sized photos hung up on the walls, while the larger photos were hanging from a line. Antonio flicked on a lamp light so the boy could see better, and sat in his office chair waiting for the boy's verdict. Romano looked over each picture carefully. Some were of orchards, of grapes and tomatoes and crops, with the hot sun visibly beating down on the green plants. Others were of birthday parties and weddings, of people laughing, smiling, doing the silliest of things, and enjoying peoples' company.

What surprised the boy was that, somehow, Antonio had seemed to capture the feelings in the photograph as well. Once Romano looked at a photo, it felt like that feeling and story had transferred into his mind—the exhaustion in the fields, the love in the couples' eyes, the misery of the man sitting alone on the park bench, the confusion and nervousness of the little girl waiting for her first dentist appointment.

"Wow." The Italian breathed out, attempting to abate the rush of emotions and focus on his own.

"What do you think?" Antonio was instantly up and next to him. The Italian gave him a pointed look.

"Idiot, did you not hear me say, 'wow'?" The Spaniard chuckled and shrugged.

"Well…wow can be taken as 'wow, these are horrible' or 'wow, these are really good!'…?" Turning and crossing his arms, the boy scowled and copied his tone.

"Wow…these are really good." The Spaniard grinned like a fool.

"You really think so?" Trying to hide his small smile, the boy nodded.

"I think they're amazing, bastard," Romano turned back to the pictures and suddenly smirked, "Especially…this one."

Antonio followed the boy's finger to a picture above his work desk that made a blush spread over his face. The picture was of a train cart that was mostly empty, aside for a few people and the focus of the picture—a peacefully sleeping Romano, who had head leaning on the window and bag clutches safely in him arms. The Italian gave him a dangerous look.

"You took a picture of me? While I was _sleeping_?" The Spaniard swallowed and laughed nervously.

"That was…I…well…you just were so…"

The boy rubbed the back of his head and chuckled lightly as Romano waited for an answer with a glare and crossed arms. Taking the picture from the wall, Antonio looked at it for a moment before smiling, knowing what to say.

"Well…when I see a moment like this, I just have to capture it. I get this feeling in my gut, like a sixth sense. It's kind of weird. I don't really quite know how to explain it." He answered honestly and looked up at the Italian with a polite smile.

"So when I saw you, just sitting there with the most peaceful expression I'd ever seen on anyone's face, I knew that I had to. Forgive me, mi tomate." Romano dug his foot into the ground, hands behind his back as he stared at the ground.

"You don't need to apologize, bastard. I was just surprised. I don't really…mind." He mumbled embarrassingly. Antonio grabbed his shoulders, coaxing him to look up.

"Does that mean…would you let me take pictures of you?" Romano shrugged his hands off and covered his mouth with the back of his hand, trying to hide his red face.

"W-what? Bastard! Why?"

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Antonio cocked his head to the side and smiled.

"I think…I could take some really beautiful photos of you. I'm getting a feeling~"

Romano shook his head. "Don't be ridiculous! I don't need any pictures."

"But you said you didn't mind! Please, mi querido?" The boy gave him his best puppy eyes. The Italian stared incredulously at him before groaning and running a hand through his hair.

"Ugh…ummm…fine, asshole, but only a few, got it?"

"Yay~!"

The Spaniard attacked Romano with a hug. His brother and grandfather were right. He was becoming soft! The Italian groaned and pushed him off.

"Get off me! You're heavy!" His hands slid down his shoulders and lingered on the boy as he pulled back and smiled down at his pouting Italian.

"Where do you want to go for our next date?" Romano scowled.

"Who said I wanted to go on another one, bastard?"

This surprised the taller boy. Weren't they having a good time? Didn't he want to see him again? He reluctantly let go of the boy and stepped away, rubbing his neck.

"Sorry, I just assumed you wanted to. We don't have to—"

"The aquarium." The Italian blurted out suddenly.

Antonio raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Romano clenched his fists and stared Antonio down.

"I want to go…to the aquarium. So…you better make it happen, you jerk!"

Standing still for a moment, the Spaniard laughed and knelt down, placing a kiss on the Italian's hand.

"Your wish is my command, my prince."

* * *

**Awww they finally kissed~! Seriously, I love this couple too much.**

**And Poland… yeah… he just came out of nowhere but I like that sneaky kid XD**

**Thank you for those who have reviewed! :) I really appreciate it.**

**The next chapter will be rather long as well and will be out by this Saturday, so stay tuned! **


	5. Chapter 5: Bastards and Idiots Don't Mix

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 5: Annoying Bastards and Idiots Do NOT Mix**

The chirping of birds and a rebellious ray of sunlight leaking out of the curtains awoke Romano from his slumber. It was a Monday morning, which translated as more sleep for the Italian since he had only two classes that day. Groaning and flipping onto the other side the bed, the boy tried to fall back asleep. He found that he couldn't, however, for his mind had already decided to flow back to him. He glanced at the clock and, with a reluctant sigh, decided to get up.

The wooden floor was warm as his feet made contact, and the air was still fresh and crisp from the night before. He stood up shakily, only to fall back on the bed with vertigo. He hated when that happened. Yawning and rubbing his eyes, the auburn-haired man grudgingly proceeded on with his morning ritual and threw on some sweatshirt and shorts. A few minutes later, the boy walked down the stairs before slowing his steps and grimacing at the voices in the kitchen. He could recognize that stern, deep voice anywhere.

The potato bastard was here.

He lingered on the stairs, listening to their conversation. Apparently his brother was complaining about something as he cooked what he assumed was breakfast. There was definitely the smell of bacon, eggs, and (of fucking course) potatoes in the air.

"I'm worried about him, Luddy. He got home at ten last night. TEN!"

Ludwig coughed. "…That's considerably earlier than most teenagers."

"But this is my fratello we're talking about… He always comes straight home after school. What if he's gotten into the wrong crowd?"

"…You do know that he's older than you, right? Feli, I'm sure Romano is fine."

"Douchbags! Don't talk about me when I'm not here!"

Feli and Ludwig, who were hugging (ew!), turned around to see an angry Romano glaring at them as the boy walked to the metal bar stool and took a seat. Breaking apart, the younger Italian jumped out of his boyfriend's arms and leaned across the table.

"Fratello, buongiorno! Then…can we talk about you when you're here?" Feli smiled to him and held out some coffee, but Romano ignored his kind gesture.

"Hell no," he muttered before grabbing a slice of toast from the plate on the counter and took the offered coffee. Leaning back up into standing position, Feli pouted and disregarded his rejection.

"Why have you been getting home late?"

After spreading strawberry jam and butter onto the bread, the boy cast his eyes to the side and absentmindedly munched on the toast.

"None of your business."

"Ve! You see? He doesn't trust me!" Feli wailed and threw himself into the perplexed German's arms. Unsure of what to do, Ludwig turned to the amused Italian with a desperate look.

"Uh…Romano. He's really worried about you. Could you give him a hint or something?"

"Screw you, potato bastard!" Romano scoffed before crossing his arms, "If you must know, I've just been seeing someone, that's all—"

In a moment, the younger Italian was across the room and suddenly grasping his brother's hands. Sending him twinkling eyes (and he_ never_ had his eyes open), Feli beamed.

"You have a boyfriend, si? Is it the same guy you were talking about a few weeks ago? What does he look like? Does he like pasta? Tell me everything, ve!"

Leaning back and pushing away his brother's head, Romano cursed himself for falling for his brother's act. The bastard just wanted information! God dammit, it was his private life!

"I'm not telling you anything! We're just hanging out!" The older Italian declared, though Feli wasn't convinced the slightest bit.

"Oh really? But you guys are boyfriends, ve? Invite him over so I can meet him! Oh please, fratello! I'll make him pasta~!"

Romano groaned and rubbed his forehead. His brother always gave him a headache with how much he spoke and all the enthusiasm he had. Where did he keep all that never-ending energy stored? Sighing and taking a long sip of coffee, the boy looked at his eager brother.

"If I invite him to dinner, will you please stop asking me questions?" The boy brightened and nodded fanatically.

"Of course~! Oh, I'm so excited! How about tomorrow after school?" Feli turned to his fiancé, who was reading the newspaper, "Are you free?"

"Who said the potato bastard could come?" Romano growled while the younger sibling just giggled and patted his brother's back.

"He's going to be part of the family now, Roma! He should meet him too!" The older Italian gave the buff, blonde man his most menacing glare, but, as usual, the man was completely unaffected by it. Looking up from the paper over the rim of his glasses, Ludwig shrugged nonchalantly. Dammit! He couldn't believe his brother was marrying this bastard!

"I'm free." Ludwig said, calmly taking a sip of his black coffee. Feli jumped up and went to go kiss his boyfriend's forehead.

"Yay! Everything's perfect!"

~x~

_Everything was NOT perfect. _The boy thought as he marched all the way from his last class to the train station. What was he thinking, letting something like this happen? His brother was going to take this over the top and the potato bastard was just going to _be there_. Enough said.

Walking down the stairs with an angry glare, Romano caught sight of his Spaniard boyfriend, who was waiting by a square brick column and checking the watch on his wrist every couple seconds. How he stayed so tan when it was almost winter was still a mystery to the Italian. He wore tight blue jeans and a black shirt that hugged his muscles in all the right places (though he had yet to actually witness them for himself). Antonio, as if sensing the boy's arrival, looked up and waved at him with a huge smile on his face.

"Romano~! Over here!"

Though the boy's happy expression did alleviate some of his worries, it also made him remember his brother's request. Scowling and shoving his hands deep in his pea coat, the Italian walked over to him.

"Hey, bastard." Very used to Romano's language by now, Antonio just kept smiling.

"You're just in time. The train arrives in two minutes!"

"I'm so fucking ecstatic," he grumbled sarcastically as they walked down to the platform. The train station was the same as usual, bustling with the rush hour crowd. A few people pushed passed them roughly as Antonio blinked and glanced at the surly boy with a frown.

"What's the matter?" He asked, genuinely concerned. Romano walked close to the cautionary yellow line before glaring at him.

"You're the matter, asshole." First pulling his boyfriend in a safe distance away from the metro tracks, the Spaniard then gave him confused gaze.

"Me? What did I do, mi tomate?" The train lights appeared in the tunnel and entered the station with a mighty roar as the Italian paused for a moment.

"My brother and his stupid boyfriend want to meet you." He yelled over the loud nose. Their hair batted around messily before the train came to a stop and opened its doors. Antonio cocked his head.

"Oh! Really? Why is that bad?" They walked into the cart and took their seats in the back away from everyone. Before the Italian could think of how to answer, Antonio chuckled and lifted his hands to Romano's head.

"Ah, hold on. It's messed up."

Romano pouted as Antonio patted down his unruly hair, and looked at the Spaniard. God, he looked really hot right now. If he just leaned over a little— Romano shook his head and pulled the Spaniard's hands off his head. He needed to stay focused on the matter at hand! Why was it bad to have Antonio meet his family? There were so many reason running through his head, he just couldn't settle on one!

"I-it's just bad! I don't need to explain myself to you!" He spewed out. Antonio frowned at his reluctance to elaborate.

"Do you…do you not want them to meet me?"

There was a hint of hurt hidden within his words that caught Romano by surprise. Oh no, did Antonio want to meet them too? Was this a big deal to him? Gently grabbing his tan hand and lacing their fingers together, Romano tried to reassure him.

"No, idiot! It's not like that! I want you to, but…but my brother's kind of overwhelming and I don't like the potato bastard. I'm more afraid of what you'll think of them."

The train cart was illuminated by the full moon just as Antonio's smile returned. Pulling their linked hands up to his lips, Antonio placed a gentle kiss on Romano's.

"Then you have nothing to worry about, mi querido."

Maybe, just maybe, he was right.

~x~

Or horribly, horribly wrong.

As soon as they had walked up to his small Italian-style house the day after, they were bombarded by the overly affectionate Feliciano.

"Ciao~! Welcome, Antonio!" Feli ran into the brunette's arms and gave him a sweet hug.

Antonio, expecting someone more relaxed, was thrown off by the giddy and happy nature of the younger sibling. This was Romano's brother? They were so different, it was like looking at day and night. Relaxing, the Spaniard just laughed and hugged the boy back. Both took no notice of the older Italian, who was glaring daggers at them menacingly. Feli pulled away and flashed Antonio a cute smile.

"I'm so glad you could make it, ve~! Please, come in!"

Stepping through the threshold, Antonio admired the peaceful and elegant home that the two brothers inhabited. The hallway had a mahogany table sitting in the middle with an ornate flower arrangement on sitting in a vase on top of it. On the left wall there was a mirror, and on the other there was a painting of the waters of Venice. Considering that they were college students living alone, they were either very lucky or quite wealthy.

"Your home is very nice." Antonio said out loud as his eyes wondered over every detail. Feli hummed in agreement.

"Oh yes! It's very pretty! Romano helped decorate. Right, fratello?"

The happy boy looked back at his brother, who was scowling intensely back at him. Antonio smiled back at him as well.

"It's very beautiful. You have good taste, Romano." The boy caught his eye, blushed, and looked away.

"All Italians have good taste, idiotas." Both Feli and Antonio laughed, as if the Italian had told a hilarious joke, and agreed. Suddenly, the younger brother jumped and pulled on the Spaniard's arm.

"Oh, Antonio! I want you to meet my fiancé. Follow me!"

Trailing after the excited Italian into the kitchen, the couple stopped to see the German looking very formal in his dress pants and a dress shirt and his blonde hair slicked back. Living up to his uptight personality, he looked as if he was going out for an interview or work instead of a dinner. Romano wanted to make fun of the bastard, but stopped when he heard Antonio gasp.

"Ludwig?" The blonde raised an eyebrow at the Spanish man.

"Antonio?" Laughing, the brunette walked over to the buff man and gave him a hug.

"It's been so long! How have you been, buddy?" Ludwig gave him two pats on the back in return.

"Good. Getting married, though I assume you already know that."

The Spaniard chuckled awkwardly. "You haven't told your brother, have you?"

Ludwig sighed. "Please don't say anything yet. You know how Gilbert gets. As soon as he hears wedding, he hears bachelor party, and then someone's going to end up on the front lawn in nothing but their underwear."

Leaning on the granite counter-top, Antonio laughed heartily.

"He did that last year at Elizaveta's wedding, didn't he?" The blonde smiled slightly and moved his stool to face the man.

"Yeah, that was him."

"Hold on. You two bastards know each other?" Romano cut in, looking at them both in confusion. The two boys turned around and stared at their perplexed Italian boyfriends. Placing a hand on the blonde's shoulder, Antonio grinned.

"He's my roommate's little brother—no not the one you met, Romano," he said when Romano's confused gaze changed to that of disgusted, "So, he's kind of like my own too. We teased him so much in high school."

Sipping down the rest of his beer, Ludwig groaned.

"That you three did. You didn't get the name Bad Touch Trio for nothing." The Spaniard rubbed the back of his head and chuckled.

"I suppose we were pretty bad." Feli was over at his lover's side in an instant, rubbing his face gently against his muscular arm.

"My poor, Luddy~ I'll protect you!" The blonde man smiled lovingly and petted Feli's head.

"Three idiots. I'm dealing with three idiots now." Romano mumbled to himself as he walked out of the room. A familiar voice came from behind him.

"You're missing one more!" The older turned in horror towards the voice.

"Dio mio."

There, on the staircase, stood his grandfather with a smug look on his face. God dammit, Feli! He would have to kill him later for inviting him.

Nonno leaned over the metal railing and cooed, "Miss me?"

Scowling, Romano pointed a finger at him and then at the front door.

"Get out." The man pouted and stood up straight, crossing his arms as he walked down to the floor.

"Is that anyway to speak to your grandfather?" His grandson rolled his eyes and pushed the tall man's back toward the exit.

"I don't care. Leave, before I throw you in a box and ship you off to Canada." Ignoring his threats, his grandfather just smiled and wrapped his powerful arm around his shoulders. Seriously, why did no one ever listen to him? Nonno pulled him along and scanned his surroundings.

"Now where's the pretty boy~?" Romano struggled against his grandfather's tight grip as they walked back into the kitchen. The more he pushed him away, the stronger his hold became. He made a mental note to work out more. Laughing at Romano's efforts, his grandfather suddenly fell silent for a moment when he set his eyes on the Spaniard.

"Well, well, well! Who might this young man be?"

All the men that were chatting amicably turned to the giant man, who was still holding Romano as he walked towards the brunette boy. Romano sent a glare at Feli, who whistled and tried to avoid his eyes, while Antonio turned to face them with a smile and held out his hand.

"Antonio Carriedo. Pleased to meet you, sir."

Nonno stared him down with an intense stare similar to that of Romano's, seeing if the boy would break under the pressure. When the Spaniard didn't flinch, the grandfather laughed loudly and pulled the boy into his grasp.

"Call me Nonno, m'boy!"

"A-ah, sure." Antonio laughed weakly in the man's sturdy grip.

"Nonno! Let us go!" Romano pushed his arms against his grandpa. As if he had forgot he had been holding them, Nonno gasped in acknowledgment.

"Oh, yes. Of course!"

Oxygen flooded back into their bodies as they coughed and tried to stand. Antonio slung his arm around a weak Romano, which received a silent glare from their grandfather. Feli laughed awkwardly and waved his arms around.

"Who's ready for some pasta?"

A couple moments later, they all sat around the dining room table with Feli serving the pasta onto each of their ceramic plates. Once everyone was served, Feli jumped into telling the story of how Ludwig had proposed to him.

"Luddy was acting all weird and secretive a couple days before. I thought he was going to break up with me!" He explained, holding onto the blonde's hand tightly, "So when he asked me out to dinner, I thought it was, you know, one of those break up dinners. He told me to dress nice and that we were going to my favorite restaurant. I was a wreck." The younger Italian laughed weakly while Nonno piped in cheerfully.

"You are aware that if you ever broke my cute little grandson's heart, I'd castrate you and send your body parts all over the world, right, Ludwig?" His face fell dark and frightening as he shot the blonde a glare. A cloud fell over the usually calm German's face as he nodded and swallowed harshly.

"Of course, sir." Feli giggled, ignorant of the dangerous gleam in his grandfather's eyes.

"Silly grandpa! Anyway, I was shaking the whole time trying to act normal, while Ludwig was just sitting there, not even paying attention to me." Ludwig sighed.

"I was too nervous. Sorry I didn't notice, Feli." The younger Italian leaned over and kissed the man's cheek.

"I know. It's okay, Ludwig." The blonde man coughed and blushed, which earned a groan from Romano as he covered his own eyes.

"And?" Antonio inquired with a gentle smile. Beaming, Feliciano lifted his fork filled with noodles.

"And then he got me pasta and dessert! It was delicious—you should try it sometime, fratello—and by the end of it I had almost forgotten about my nerves because everything was just so good~! But then he suddenly started saying stuff like how we've been together for two years and how we've had our ups and down, and I freaked out and started crying. Then he started freaking out because I was, and then I begged him not to break up with me. Then he was confused and I was confused, and then he got down on one knee and pulled out the ring like he planned. And I burst into more tears that he couldn't tell were either of joy or sadness. Ah, but, then I said yes and everyone cheered. It was a lot of fun, ve~!"

Feli chuckled and put the fork in his mouth. The table stared at the scatterbrain Italian for a couple moments before Antonio broke the silence with a huge grin.

"Ah...that sounds fantastic! I'm happy for you two!" The couple gave him a thankful smile.

"Grazie, Big Brother Antonio!" Feli chirped and suddenly leaned forward, "So, how did you meet my fratello?"

Glancing at his quiet boyfriend for a moment, Antonio began.

"Actually, I think it was fate. I saw him on the train a few times, and thought he was really cute and interesting," he chuckled at the memory, "Then one day, he shows up out of the blue at the coffee shop I work in, and the rest is history." The couple's hands seemed to intertwine on their own under the table. Turning his reddened cheeks away, Romano huffed.

"I'm not cute, bastard." He muttered angrily, but anyone could see through the false front and the small smile he was trying to hide.

"What are your intentions with Romano?" His grandfather interrupted with a dark edge to his voice. The couple stood there frozen before the auburn-haired boy stood up with a massive blush on his face.

"What the hell, Nonno!" Their grandfather laughed and waved his hand.

"Sorry, sorry! I was only kidding. You two are about as easy to read as an open book."

Antonio rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, while Romano scowled and tried to calm his face. Neither wanted to answer him. It was too embarrassing! Nonno just chuckled and asked another simpler question.

"So Antonio, what do your parents do for a living?"

Curiously, Romano felt Antonio stiffen under the table. Taking a sip of water, the Spaniard raised his eyes to meet Nonno's and gave him a polite smile.

"Well…both of them passed away."

The older man frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that, m'boy."

"It's nothing to apologize for." Antonio laughed lightly, but something was a little off in his tone. Romano eyed the brunette, unsure of what to think. Nonno didn't miss a heartbeat and continued on.

"What do you do in your free time then?" Regaining composure, the brunette sat up and smiled.

"Well, I like to play the guitar and dance, especially salsa!" Leaning forward on his elbows, Nonno chuckled and rested his chin on his linked hands.

"You must take your Spanish descent pretty seriously then?"

"Si! Of course. Culture is very important to me." Feli leaned onto Ludwig's shoulder and tugged on his arm.

"Luddy, we should learn how to salsa. It would be lots of fun, ve~! Antonio can you teach us?"

Munching on his garlic bread, Antonio nodded his head. "Sure, if you would like."

"Yay! You're so kind, Antonio!" Jumping out of his seat, the younger Italian brother attacked the Spaniard in another hug, much to Romano's chagrin. The older Italian pulled him off his boyfriend and shot him a glare.

"You also do photography in your spare time, right?" Nonno interjected quickly to distract his two grandsons from fighting. Letting go of his brother, Romano crossed his arms and listened to the two men talk.

"Yes, well, I don't really count it as a hobby, since I study it." Their grandfather hummed in understanding and took a bite of pasta.

"What do you plan to do with such a degree?"

"Nonno—" The older Italian growled, setting down his utensils and about done with his grandfather's grilling, but Antonio squeezed his hand.

"It's fine, Romano," He gave his boyfriend a reassuring smile before turning back to face the older man with a serious expression, "I want to go into advertising. I'm actually looking into jobs with a few companies right now."

Nonno leaned back in his chair and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Impressive. At least you have a plan." Romano groaned as he sensed his accusatory eyes on him. It wasn't his fault he was so undecided about his job. He knew that careers in art didn't make a lot of money, but that didn't stop him. He loved it too much to give it up for a mere cash-making job he would hate. Sensing Romano's foul mood, Feli piped in and changed the subject.

"Antonio! That means you could take pictures for our wedding! Right, Ludwig?" The blonde man turned to the Spaniard.

"I know you're pretty good. Would you be willing to?" Reaching for his glass, the brunette smiled and raised his glass of wine.

"Of course. I would be honored!"

They all gave toasts to the wedding and then fell into a lighter conversation about the two Italians' childhood. Antonio figured Nonno was done with the interrogation, since he didn't press the Spaniard for any further information. Focusing on their years as children, Feli described their lifestyle in Italy to Antonio.

"We actually wore dresses up until we were about eight. Mamma thought we were about the cutest bambini in the whole country~!" Turning red and covering his face in embarrassment, the older Italian groaned.

"Feli! You weren't supposed to tell him that!" His younger brother cocked his head while Antonio just laughed.

"Why not, fratello? We were, see?" Shooting his arm across the table, Feli held several photos in his hand and passed them to the Spaniard, who snatched them eagerly. The older Italian tried to pull them from his grasp, but wasn't quick enough. Leaning far enough away, his boyfriend held him back with one hand and lifted the pictures over theirs head with another. Antonio chuckled at all the cute pictures of the boys, especially one photograph of Romano, who in a field staring up at the camera with his usual scowl and looked adorable in his pink dress and white bonnet.

"So cute~ Aw, can I have this?" He pleaded to both Romano and Feli.

"Sure!"

"No fucking way."

Both siblings stared at each other, Feli smiling while Romano glared at the other. They continued bickering like most siblings did before Feli won out, Romano was pouting, and dinner was over. Each stood up and began to help clear the table, when Antonio felt a tap on his shoulder. Nonno stared down at him.

"May I speak to you in private, m'boy?" The Spaniard cocked his head before nodding and following him out of the room.

"Yes, sir?" The older man shook his head with a smile.

"Please, please. I'm done grilling you so there's no need to feel so formal. You passed." Nonno patted Antonio's back as the boy let out a sigh of relief and returned the happy expression.

"Gracias, Nonno." Holding onto the shorter boy's shoulders, Nonno let out a laugh.

"That's more like it! Though I do have one last question."

Antonio waited for it as the man's face turned serious and yet curious.

"Why Romano?"

This threw Antonio off. "Huh?"

Chuckling at the boy's confusion, he explained his true inquiry.

"You're obviously a cheerful, handsome, brilliant, and positive person. Why would you waste your time with my grandson, who doesn't have his life figured out, who's moody and vulgar, who frowns more than he smiles, who complains and lacks cooperation?"

Antonio stared at him for a moment before shaking his brown locks from side to side.

"Thank you for your compliments, but I think you're wrong."

Nonno raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

Leaning against the yellow wall, the Spaniard elaborated.

"No one's perfect. But if anyone's close to perfection, it's Romano. He doesn't stand for a lot of bullshit this world throws at us like most others do. He may have a little trouble opening up, but underneath that hard exterior is a genuine and strong young man that's beautiful in every way. And when I get him to smile or laugh, it's the best reward I could ever be blessed with," Antonio played with the buttons on his own shirt and smiled, "He's so pure and good, I'm afraid I'm not worthy enough for _him_."

The Italians' grandfather stared down at him in silent surprise before grinning.

"I know," the older man looked back towards the kitchen with a content expression on his face, "Just making sure you were aware of all those qualities. They can't be seen by just anyone."

Pulling Antonio into a manly hug, Nonno laughed as the boy awkwardly tried to return it. He then released him and stepped back, a smirk playing on his lips.

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that kind of love confession, though. You've got it bad, m'boy." The brunette boy blushed and rubbed his neck embarrassingly. Before he could respond, Feli's head popped out from around the corner.

"Nonno! Big Brother Antonio! Come on, the tiramisu is ready!"

"We'll be right there, mio nipote!" Nonno called to him. Instead of leaving right away, Feli gave Antonio a knowing look and giggled like a school girl before popping his head back into the kitchen.

The Spaniard blinked. "He…he heard that, didn't he?"

The older man just laughed and smacked his back.

"Most likely! Come on, lover boy, let's get some of that dessert!"

~x~

Well, that had to have been the worst "meet the family" date anyone had ever had to experience. He had unfortunately underestimated the weirdness and overbearing nature of his brother and grandfather. First, his brother practically won over _his_ Spanish boyfriend and charmed him without even trying. Second, his grandfather had practically given him a reason to not stay with him, by pressuring him about his past, future, and Romano's lack of decisiveness. And the tomato bastard already knew the potato bastard? How did that even happen? If Ludwig was the younger brother, how bad would the older brother be? God, he couldn't deal with all of these people.

So, when the night was finally over and his family said their goodbyes to Antonio, Romano was in a bad mood and expecting the worst. He knew this was a bad idea. The Spaniard seemed fine, sharing goodbye hugs like old friends with everyone, but every now and then he'd catch unfamiliar looks towards him that he couldn't decipher. He didn't know what the boy was thinking.

And, honestly, it scared him.

Romano and Antonio walked down the pathway away from the house in silence. His roommate was coming to get pick him up—Ludwig's older brother—so there they were, calmly standing under the night's sky. The air was fairly chilly as Romano buried his cold hands into his jean pockets in order to keep warm. The Spaniard's gentle voice caused him to look up.

"Gracias for letting me meet your familia, Romano. I had a fun time~" Letting his head hang, Romano scowled.

"You don't have to lie, bastard. I know they were too much." Antonio laughed and smiled up at the stars.

"Only a little. But your grandfather was only looking out for you. He's a good man. And Feliciano was very cute. Ludwig is a lucky guy~" The boy felt like his heart had been stabbed. Of course he though Feli was great. It wasn't a surprise, everyone did. He had seen the way his younger brother clung to the Spaniard and shared laughs and smiles so easily.

And suddenly, as if lighting a fuse, all his raging emotions were out in one instance.

"Oh, I'm sure he was just fucking adorable. If you like him so much, why don't you just date him yourself?"

Turning to him, Antonio gave him a confused look.

"Romano? What are you talking about?" The Spaniard took a step towards his angry boyfriend, who in turn took a step back.

"You know full fucking well what I'm talking about! My brother is always better than me. He's affectionate and fun to be around. I'm not! You should go be with him, then! I'm never as good as Feli. He knows that! My grandfather knows that! You know that!" Romano clenched his fist and looked up at the man fiercely with welled-up eyes, "_I_ know that!"

And then there was that look again. Eyes filled with a darkness he couldn't explain, and a little of something else—anger?

"For Christ's sake, Romano! I'm serious! I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" The younger boy was shocked by his sudden outburst, and found he lacked the words to speak. Antonio, however, had more to say.

"You say all these damn things—that don't even make sense—and make crazy assumptions that never even cross my mind! I don't want your brother! Don't get me wrong, he's nice and all, but I'm not here for him."

Antonio looked him in the eyes seriously.

"I'm here for you. I want you, Romano."

The Italian stood there frozen as Antonio sighed rather loudly and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy's frame.

"I don't know what you've had to experience in the past to make you feel like this, but it's killing me. Every time something goes wrong or there's any hint of doubt, you end up running," He spoke while stroking his soft hair.

"What do I have to do to keep you safe? To make you happy? To make you stay? To make you mine forever?" The brunette whispered to him. Antonio felt the Italian's breath hitch as tears poured down his face and soaked the other boy's shoulder. He felt him slowly wrap his arms around his shoulders and clutch onto the back of his shirt. The Spaniard swallowed and prepared himself for one last confession.

"Romano…I love you."

The Italian froze in his hold. What did he just say? Antonio…loved him? Of all people? It couldn't be true. He must have heard it wrong! But…the way the man held him tightly and yet carefully as if he was fragile told him that he had heard right.

"Y-you…you bastard."

And suddenly Romano was pushing him away. Antonio furrowed his brow. Did the boy not believe him? What did he have to do to get him to understand that he was serious? Shout it to the world? Repeat it a million times? Give him a thousand roses? Oh, god, what if he didn't love him back? Was it too soon? What had he been think—

Romano jumped onto the brunette boy, wrapping his legs around his waist and his arms around his neck, and kissed his deeply. Pleasantly surprised, Antonio wobbled until he steadied the two of them—holding the boy up with his hands—and kissed the boy back just as fervently. He rubbed circles on the exposed skin between his shirt and his jeans and gently bit down on the Italian's bottom lip, while Romano allowed the Spaniard to access his mouth. They smoothly let their tongues explore each other's mouths, enjoying the sweet but different tastes each seemed to possess. Romano ran his hands through the brunette's hair, playing with each soft strand that adorned the boy's head.

"Man, is that you? Ah, no way! Woo! Get some, Toni!"

Both men, who were breathing heavily with their lips still touching, stared at the man in the big black jeep, who was leering at them like a maniac. The man had silver hair and strange red eyes like a vampire. Was this supposed to be Ludwig's brother? He didn't look anything like the potato bastard! He was freaking albino! The man leaned peered out the passenger window as the two boys released one another and stepped away. The man pouted.

"Oh, please. Don't stop on my account. That was pretty hot, by the way."

By now Romano's face was beat red, while Antonio's wasn't far behind. The Spaniard coughed and shoved his hands in his back pockets.

"Thanks for coming, Gilbert."

"Not a problem, buddy! The awesome me is always here to help you out. Though maybe I should come back later…?"

Gilbert eyed Romano, who was crossing his arms and trying to become as invisible as possible. Antonio shook his head.

"No, it's fine. I've got work to do, anyway. Ah, but, I want you to meet my boyfriend," Antonio held out a hand to Romano, "Mi tomate, come here."

The Italian shot him a glare, but took it none-the-less. Gently massaging the back of the Italian's hand, the Spaniard smiled.

"Romano. This is Gilbert, one of my best friends and fellow roommates." The boy grinned and waved.

"Yo! You're cute! If you ever get tired of Toni, I'm always available." He winked, causing the younger boy to growl in revulsion.

"You try to touch me, I will chop your dick off and feed it to the fishes." The albino blinked, his grin faltering for a just moment before he let out a belt of laughter.

"Haha! I like him! You should invite him over sometime, Toni!" Antonio offered Gilbert a friendly smile, yet sent a different message as he wrapped an arm protectively over his boyfriend.

"Of course! Would you like to, mi amor?" The Italian blushed and leaned into his hold.

"I-I guess so…"

"Aw~ So cute!" Antonio hugged the boy, who tried to struggle against him.

"Get off me, you son of a bitch!"

"Roma, don't be like that~" The Spaniard cooed while nuzzling his face. Pushing him away, Romano scowled.

"I'll be however damn well I want to be!"

A honk attracted their attention.

"As much as I'd love to watch you two lovebirds chat, I have stuff to do, so I suggest you wrap things up," Gilbert explained to them as he started up the engine. The Spanish man nodded in response and walked towards the car.

"Ok, ok. I'm coming." Turning back to Romano, he smiled and hung his thumbs loosely in his jean pockets.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right? Come visit me at the shop?" Huffing, the Italian dug the front of his shoe into the dirt and turned his face away.

"We'll see, bastard."

Antonio noticed the boy's shy expression and ruffled his soft hair, carefully avoiding the curl that he hoped to find out the secret to (Romano was very defensive when he asked or tried to touch it). As his boyfriend turned back to the car, Romano watched as he got in and seated himself up. Before Gilbert was going to put the car in gear, the Italian ran to his window.

"Wait!"

The Spaniard looked up at him curiously with a gentle grin. "Yes, mi querido?"

He wanted to say it. It was just a simple 'I love you', and Antonio had even said it first! Yet, when he tried to push the words past his lips, they got stuck in his throat and wouldn't come out. Sighing, the boy shyly avoided his eyes and bit his bottom lip.

"I-I like you a lot too," was the best he could get out before spinning on his heel and running back towards the house. The two men in the car silently watched the boy leave. The albino turned to the other man, who looked like he was on cloud nine.

"You two are the most bi-polar couple I've ever met."

~x~

Romano didn't stop to relax until he had the door shut behind him and made sure their car had driven off. When they pulled out of their driveway, the boy sighed in relief and turned to walk into the kitchen, but instead ran into Feli, Nonno, and Ludwig looking at him with amused eyes. Oh god. What had they seen? Romano decided to play it cool.

"W-what do you want, you bastards?" Nonno smirked, glancing towards the window.

"That was quite a goodbye kiss." Yep, they had seen them make-out. The older Italian turned red and tried to deny it.

"I—we di-didn't…" Feliciano giggled and pointed to his brother's face.

"Fratello, you lips are really swollen. Do you want any ice?"

The older Italian felt his lips and turned even redder when he felt how plump they were.

"Ah! You assholes! Mind your own business! I'm going to bed!"

Running up the stairs, Romano ignored the protests from his family and tried to drown out all the embarrassing things from his life in the realm of dreams.

Stupid familia. Stupid Antonio. Stupid everything.

But, strangely, he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

**A/N: Meeting the family, Hetalia style—Always fun XD**

**Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! :)**

**Just in case you didn't know, here are some of the translations:**

**mio nipote – my grandson**

**dio mio – oh my god**

**buongiorno – good morning**

**mi querido, amor, tomate – my dear, love, tomato**

**fratello – brother**

**bambini - children**

**I think some are pretty easy to guess what they are, but others can be hard to tell!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading~!**


	6. Chapter 6: Ice Cream Solves Everything

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 6: Ice Cream Solves Everything**

"What makes…you happy?" Romano asked his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Staring down the boy looking back at him, the Italian lifted his hand and pointed his index finger threateningly.

"If you just tell me…no one gets hurt." The boy in the mirror didn't respond, and only sent him the same death look. They both wore pink and white stripped pajamas that were a little bit big for them, so the sleeves hung out a little over their hands. The clothes were a gift from his grandfather when he was sixteen and thought the boy was still growing. That turned out to be false, and then Romano was stuck with the oversized girly pajamas. Romano sighed and ruffled his bed hair in an attempt to make it better, but only ended up making it worse. It looked like he wasn't going to get any answers out of himself.

Who was he kidding? He was talking to a mirror! This wasn't going to solve anything!

A soft knock on the white wooden door woke him from his thoughts.

"Fratello~? Are you talking to your reflection again?" Feli asked rather loudly. Leaning on the sink counter, Romano scowled and turned to look at the door.

"Go away! I'm busy!"

There was a pause before Feli's voice was heard again.

"Is that you or your reflection talking~?"

"…I am not answering that, idiot." Shuffling over, the older sibling unlocked the door to see his brother take a step back in similar—but blue—pajamas. Their grandfather had thought the same for him, too.

"What do you want?" said Romano with a sigh. Playing with the hem of his shirt material, Feli grinned.

"I was wondering if you would like to go to the market with me. I need to buy more pasta!"

That was a lie. Romano knew they had enough pasta to last them a year, even if they had it for dinner every night. Not that they didn't do that anyway. Feliciano had an unhealthy obsession with the Italian dish. Leaning on the door frame, Romano crossed his arms.

"You can do that by yourself. Why do you need my help?" Feliciano smiled and twiddled his thumbs sheepishly.

"I want to spend some time with you, ve~"

The older Italian was about to blow him off until he saw a hint of something in his brother's eyes. Why did he look so…sad? That made him stop and take a second to put the clues together.

"…You're moving out soon, aren't you?" Romano concluded with a frown. The boy across from him nodded a bit sullenly.

"Two Saturdays from now, right after the honeymoon. Ludwig has already helped me start packing." Romano didn't even realize it was so soon. His brother was going to get married and move out in less than a month? It seemed so unreal.

"Oh." He said simply, letting his thoughts overcome him.

As much as he ever felt jealous or inferior to his brother, he still loved and protected him more than anything else in the world. The two brothers were there for each other when they felt as if they had no one left, and held each other up when the other broke down. It was always Romano's job as the older brother to stand up for Feli and shield him from the bad in the world—which happened to come in the form of both women and men. The younger boy never could tell when someone had bad intentions, and only looked for the good that they offered. His brother just had a pure and good heart that was easily fooled and take advantage of.

That's not to say he was not intelligent. In fact, although the younger brother appeared to be dim-witted and lack common sense, he possessed a brilliance no one else had. Feli was able to see beyond the thing in front of him and explain the millions of possibilities a simple item or person could have. He probably could discover the cure for diabetes if he put his mind to it, but instead the boy had decided to go into cooking. "_It's fun and tastes good, ve~"_ He had told him when he asked why. Ah, well, that was Feli for you.

"All right. I'll go." Romano conceded and braced himself for the imminent hug his brother would give him.

"Yay! We will have lots of fun, ve!" The boy squeezed his older brother, while Romano patted his back once and then tried to push him away.

"Ok, come on. Go get dressed." He waved him away.

"Ve? You mean we can't go like this?" question the younger boy, a serious expression on his face.

Sometimes he chided himself for thinking of his brother so highly.

~x~

"Ok. Parsley?"

"Check."

"Tomatoes?"

"Check!"

"Linguini?"

"Check-arooni!"

"…Farfalle?"

"Check-tastic!"

"Fusili? Feli…"

"Check-rrific!"

"Fettuccine? Feli would—"

"Checkers~!"

"Spaghet—WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP THAT!"

Romano lowered the list and glared at Feliciano, who was whistling innocently. Leaning his elbows on the metal cart, Feli smiled and picked up a tomato.

"Stop what?" Pulling the plump and juicy tomato from his brother's hold and putting it back in the cart bed, Romano sent him a glare.

"Stop—ugh!—never mind, just forget it." Rubbing his head, the older Italian threw the list back at his brother and pushed the cart down the aisle. Feli followed after him, humming a country song to himself, much to Romano's annoyance. This was his brother's one-sided idea of making this more "fun." Singing songs, playing games, and making up cute names was not on Romano's list of exciting activities. He stayed away from that shit whenever he could.

They rolled the green cart up to the counter, Feli stepping ahead to chat with the cashier while Romano pulled the money from his wallet to pay. The older Italian look up to recognize an old friend of Feli's from their undergraduate college named Kiku, who was a small, quiet Asian man that enjoyed the old Japanese culture. Romano, Feliciano, Ludwig, and Kiku had all met in their college writing class their freshman year and became fast friends (well, Feli made the effort). Romano didn't mind him very much; he was a nice guy that didn't attract too much attention aside from the occasional wild Italian that was Romano's brother. Feli had just been telling the meek boy about pasta and how it could save lives when he remembered the most exciting event of his life.

"Oh, Kiku! You must come to my wedding and bachelor party, ve! Did Luddy tell you?" Kiku nodded calmly, sliding the groceries over the price scanner and into paper bags.

"Hai, he told me last week in class. Omedetogozaimasu. I will be there." Feli squealed and began bouncing up and down.

"Yay! I'm so excited!" Very used to the boy's extreme actions, the Japanese boy just hummed in agreement and rung up their items.

"Your total is $45.71."

Handing him the money, the Italian earned a polite smile from the dark-haired boy.

"Kon'nichiwa, Romano. Hope you are doing well." Romano rested his arm on the counter and pointed to Feli with his thumb.

"As well as I'll ever be having to take care of this idiot." Feli giggled and leaned over to whisper loudly into the cashier's ear.

"He got a boyfriend~" The older Italian face palmed.

"I can hear you, idiota." Kiku bowed respectfully, not at all surprised.

"Omedetogozaimasu to you as well."

"Grazie. You still dating that lazy guy, Her—Hercules or something?" Holding up the bags, the boy handed them their groceries.

"Heracles. Hai, we moved in together." Feli clasped his hands together like an excited school girl.

"How nice! You must be very happy!" Nodding, Kiku smiled politely. The two boys grabbed their bags and waved goodbye to the small man as they passed through the automatic doors. Loading their groceries in the car, Romano inquired of their next destination. The boy's hands griped the wheels as he turned to his brother.

"You'll see when we get there, ve!"

Their red Camry pulled out of the parking lot and on its way. Romano huffed and absentmindedly looked out the window as they drove down the street and turned a few corners. Where did he want to take him? He wouldn't mind heading home and having another siesta. They finally stopped in front of a shop Romano didn't recognize and stepped out. Depositing a few coins into the meter, Feliciano wrapped his arm around his brother's and dragged him a few doors down.

"We're here~" Feli piped up when they stopped in front of a store. The older Italian looked up and, once seeing the name and mannequins in the window, shook his head.

"No." Pulling his arm out of his brother's hold, Romano started to walk away. The younger boy immediately latched onto his coat.

"Oh, please! I really need your help." Feli pleaded with his bottom lip puffed out in a pout. Rolling his eyes at his expression, Romano gestured to the window.

"I am not helping you pick out your fucking wedding outfit! You better not be buying a dress." When Feli paused for a moment, the older boy threw up his hands.

"Oh my god! My brother wants to be a girl!" Feli giggled and patted his sulking brother.

"I was just kidding, fratello. I just thought wedding dresses were pretty~ But I want you to help me pick out a nice suit! I know you have good taste."

Furrowing his brow, Romano glared at the boy. Oh, his brother was good. He knew just how to coax something out of him. He could care less about making him look ravishing for the potato bastard. However, he couldn't have his brother going down the aisle in something shitty though…

Growling, he ruffled his own hair before turning to the pleading boy and held up a finger.

"Fine. One hour. Maximum."

"Ve~!"

Jumping in excitement, Feliciano dragged the reluctant boy into the store.

God, help him.

~x~

Feliciano walked out of the dressing room in a dark blue suit that had light blue stripes. Standing on the podium and turning to the side a little, the boy leaned his head back to look at his brother on the black couch.

"How about this one?" Romano shook his head and waved his hand quickly.

"No. God no. Take it off."

The younger boy complied and skipped to the dressing room to pull on another. Leaning back into the comfy couch, Romano sighed. They had already gone through five suits and all of them were not good enough. How hard was it to find a simple suit for a wedding?

A buzz in his pocket attracted his attention. Sliding his phone out of his pocket, the boy clicked the home button and inspected the alert.

**[Text from Antonio "Tomato Bastard" Carriedo, October 3, 3:22 p.m.]**

**Heyyy Roma~ :)**

Silently smiling, Romano wrote a quick text back.

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 3:24 p.m.]**

**What do you want, bastard?**

Feliciano exited the dressing room and stood in front of his brother, flopping his arms around.

"What do you think?" He asked, while the older Italian looked over the brown suit. Ah, it just wasn't right! Romano shook his head and leaned on his elbows.

"No, no. I think you need a black or white suit." Looking at himself one last time, Feli nodded and hopped off the stage.

"Okay, ve!"

Romano watched as his brother skipped in the brown suit back into the fitting room. Another vibration attracted the boy's attention.

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 3:31 p.m.]**

**Just wanted to see how you were doing, mi tomate!**

**xXx**

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 3:35 p.m.]**

**Don't call me that. And my stupid brother of mine is making me help him find a suit for the wedding.**

**xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 3:37 p.m.]**

**How fun! :D Any luck?**

As soon as he had received the text, Feliciano had walked out and stood on the little stage. Romano was at a loss for words as he looked up at his brother. He wore a crisp white suit with a white dress shirt underneath and a black tie. It was like one of those stupid moments of when the mother saw her daughter in a dress and knew that that it was the one (not that he watched those cheesy reality shows, dammit!). And like a damn woman, he knew then that this suit was the one for his brother. Feliciano smiled and did a little spin.

"I think I like this one! Do you like it, fratello?"

Standing up, Romano circled the younger boy and looked over the suit. The seaming and stitching were good and, checking the tag, he found it was 100% wool. Very nice as well. It fit the boy's frame in all the right places and seemed like a perfect match for someone pure and blameless like him.

"I like it." He admitted. Clapping his hands together, Feli giggled in excitement.

"Yay! Can we get it? Is it perfect for me?" Letting a small smile appear on his face, the older Italian patted his brother's shoulder.

"Si, fratello. It's appropriate in a lot of ways. Thank god you're so innocent." He sighed in relief. Feli giggled with the slightest hint of guilt etching his voice.

"Innocent…yes! Um, what do you mean by…innocent?" Romano looked at him and blinked.

"You…you know what I mean, Feli." Laughing awkwardly, his little brother didn't answer.

"Um, fratello, about that—" He began until his brother cut him off.

"_Dio mio."_ Romano's eyes widened in realization. Stepping off the podium, Feli nibbled on his thumb.

"You see—"

"You did _it_… with that bastard?!" Feliciano opened his mouth to say something but then closed it and nodded slowly.

"Yes." He admitted with a hesitant tone. The older Italian clutched his forehead and fell back onto the couch.

"Oh my god. That fucking bastard! I bet he forced you into it! I'm going to kill him!"

Shaking his head furiously, his brother fell to the floor next to sofa seat and rested his crossed arms on it.

"He didn't force me to do anything! I…I was the one who wanted to." He spoke and looked down, hiding his head in his arms. Romano gasped in shock.

"You?" He whispered unbelieving. His sweet, naïve little brother? Feli nodded and bit his lip.

"We had been dating for so long and I really wanted to reach an intimate level with him. He was perfectly fine with taking it slow and waiting till I was ready, but I was ready! I had been for a long time."

The older Italian sat up and ignored the vibrations from his phone. The tomato bastard would just have to wait. God dammit, how did he let this happen? He let his hands automatically massage his temples as he tried to wrap his mind around the new information.

"How long ago?" Feliciano hummed, looking up and thinking of an answer.

"I want to say… five months ago?"

"5 MONTHS?" Romano squeaked out and covered his mouth in horror.

"Ah... before senior year ended." The older boy flinched. He _knew_ he should have gone to the graduation party, if only to save his brother from the clutches of that sex-hungry bear!

"I can't believe…I can't believe you're not a virgin! And that you kept this from me!" Romano yelled as Feliciano patted him on his knee, as if he was the younger sibling or something!

"I know. It's a lot to take in, but…I'm sorry I didn't tell you, fratello. I wanted to, but I was afraid this was how you'd react." Scowling, Romano stared at him. Oh, no. He was not pulling the 'I'm more mature than you' tone! Plopping back into the couch's comfort, the boy sighed in defeat.

"Just…just go get changed and we'll get your damn suit, ok?"

Placing a quick kiss on his brother's forehead, the younger Italian smiled and sprang up.

"Ti voglio bene, fratello!"

Waving the boy away, Romano muttered, "Yeah yeah, whatever. I'm not done talking to you yet."

His younger brother just giggled and ran back into the dressing room. Needing a distraction, Romano pulled out his phone and looked over the texts he had missed.

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 3:41 p.m.]**

**If you don't find anything, I know a couple good places. **

**Also, are you free this Saturday?**

******xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 3:47 p.m.]**

**Romanooo. Are you there?**

******xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 3:55 p.m.]**

**Romanoooooooooooooooo?**

The boy groaned and ran a hand down his face.

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:01 p.m.]**

**I'm here, you son of a bitch. Yes, we found something. And I also just found out something horrible. **

******xXx**

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:01 p.m.]**

**And yes, I'm free.**

It was barely a few minutes later when he heard another vibration.

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:03 p.m.]**

**What happened? Are you ok? **

**I want to take you somewhere that day!**

******xXx**

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:07 p.m.]**

**My fucking brother has been lying to me. And he's a lot chummier with the potato bastard than I thought.**

**I guess, ok… where are we going?**

******xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:10 p.m.]**

**I'm sure he didn't lie to you because he wanted to. Well…they are getting married? Aren't they supposed to be close?**

**Ok :) Well, that's a secret! **

**Oh! And we should have dinner after I get off work on Tuesday! Any food preference?**

******xXx**

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:13 p.m.]**

**He kept it for five months, bastard, 5 MONTHS! And you don't know my definitely of CLOSENESS. **

**What the hell? Just tell me. **

**I usually only eat Italian, but for some reason I'm craving Chinese food. **

******xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:14 p.m.]**

**That is a long time. Maybe it was really important to keep secret? I think…I'm pretty sure I know, mi querido.**

**Nooo be patient, mi amor. **

**Chinese food? Strange choice, but let's do it :D**

******xXx**

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:15 p.m.]**

…**I'm done talking to you, asshole. **

**You don't like my food choice? Go jump off a cliff, will you?**

******xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:16 p.m.]**

**I'm sorry! Forgive me. :(**

**No, I like your food choice. We actually order it often at the apt.**

******xXx**

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:17 p.m.]**

**Not forgiven, bastard. **

**I noticed, from the large amount of Styrofoam containers all over your apartment.**

******xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:18 p.m.]**

**What can I do to make you forgive me? **

**We cleaned those up, by the way. It looks like we got a maid!**

******xXx**

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:19 p.m.]**

**You can…bring me ice cream tonight? **

**Nothing you could have done could save that shitty establishment. It was a goner from the start.**

******xXx**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:20 p.m.]**

**Coffee flavored? 8pm? :)**

**Don't say that :(**

"Fratello."

Startled by the sudden voice, Romano jumped and sent his smartphone flying out of his hands and onto the other side of the couch. He looked up at his brother, who was dressed back in his regular clothes and crossing his arms. Scowling, the Italian retrieved his phone.

"God damn Feli! How long have you been standing there?" Feliciano tried to hold a stern, disapproving look, but a few giggles broke through his façade.

"Like ten minutes. You're talking to Antonio, right?" Blushing, the older boy threw his phone back in his bag and turned his face away haughtily.

"Don't make assumptions! Let's…let's just go buy your suit." Balancing on his heels, Feli raised up the white suit he had been holding.

"Okay~!"

The two Italians made their way up to the fancily-dressed cashier, who greeted them with an automatic smile that was most likely developed from their many years of work experience. Laying the suit gently and perfectly on the table, the woman rang up their total and wrapped their purchase meticulously. Romano pulled out the family credit card, and handed it off to Feli to make the transaction.

While the giddy boy handled that, the older Italian sent a quick text off to Antonio before they were finished and walked back to the car.

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:25 p.m.]**

**You better. **

**Gotta go. See you later.**

"You know, I barely ever see you text." Feliciano wondered out loud as he settled into the driver's seat and strapped the seatbelt over him. Scowling, Romano copied him and slung his difficult seat belt over his body until he heard a click.

"He texted me first, and he was just being annoying anyway."

A buzz in his bag caused the two boys to look down. Feliciano's eyes instantly went to Romano, who was inspecting his fingertips and ignoring the phone. The younger boy tilted his head a little.

"You going to get that?" he asked innocently with his hands calmly resting on the wheel. The older boy waited for him to start the car and leave him alone. However, he made no move to do any of the sort.

Ignoring the buzz for another couple minutes, Romano let his curiosity get the better of him as he let out a groan and pulled the electronic device out.

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 4:28 p.m.] **

**I will (:**

**Ok! Bye~ **

**I love you.**

"Why are you blushing so hard, fratello?" asked Feli, a hint of a smug smile eager to spread across his face. Romano shoved the phone back into his bag roughly before crossing his arms.

"N-no reason, idiot! Just start the car and drive!"

The two brothers sat there in silence as they drove, with Feli humming another country song and Romano scowling at the window. What was wrong with Antonio, surprising him like that? And now he was coming over later? How did he find himself in these situations?

As if reading his mind, the younger Italian spoke, "Fratello, Luddy and I are going out to dinner so I won't get home until late. Will you be ok by yourself?"

Romano turned his head to him and sighed.

"Actually… the tomato bastard is coming over. So I won't be… alone."

"Oh. _Oh._" The boy flashed a sheepish smile before giggling madly like his brother had told a dirty joke. Sitting up, the older Italian gave him a pointed look.

"What the hell are you thinking, bastard?" Feli only smiled and put his eyes back on the road.

"Well…he is your boyfriend. And you have been dating for a while. _Anddd_ it's pretty fun." Holding his head in his hands, Romano shook his head and tried to rid himself of the terrifying mental images of his brother and the potato bastard.

"Dio mio. Why did I ever think you were innocent?" A gentle smile rested on his brother's face as he turned a corner.

"It isn't a bad thing, fratello. Don't you want to do something like that with Antonio?"

Romano _had_ thought about it. By the way they practically made out in front of the Italian's house, he was pretty sure…he wouldn't mind being ravished by the brunette boy. But he was a virgin, and had no idea how sex between two men would work. Well… he had some idea. But he didn't know everything. How would he find out? Someone had to… ah, his eyes unconsciously trailed to his brother, who was breathing out more ve's than usual. Oh god. Was he really going to do this?

"Feli, um, how does…h-how does s-se…" His brother didn't miss a beat.

"How does sex work? Don't worry. I'll explain to you everything."

The boy winked at him while the humiliation ate Romano away.

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 3, 5:02 p.m.]**

**Actually, come earlier. I'm making dinner.**

**Idiot…I like you too.**

**Now stop making me say such embarrassing things, asshole.**

~x~

The light dinging of doorbell forced Romano to put down the dough he had been kneading and rinse off his hands in the sink. Wiping his wet hands on his apron, he headed for the door and swung it open to reveal Antonio. He wore a striped light green and white shirt that had cuffed sleeves which showed his forearm muscles nicely, and blue jeans which hung snugly on his hips.

And, _damn_, he looked good.

His boyfriend shot him a happy smile and pulled him into a hug.

"Hola, Roma~ You look so cute in an apron!" Romano rolled his eyes, but didn't pull out of his hold.

"Bastard. What did I tell you about men being cute?" With a pout playing on his lips, Antonio let him go.

"But you're always cute," The boy held up the plastic bag he was holding, "I brought the helado~"

Smirking and turning back towards the kitchen, the Italian motioned him to follow.

"Fuck yes. Put it in the freezer and afterwards come help me roll up the bread dough."

The boy saluted him with a grin. "Aye, aye, captain~"

They both walked into the kitchen, the Spaniard doing as he was told and the Italian tightening his apron bow and rolling out the soft dough, trying to make it tougher. As soon as it reached the consistency he wanted, he then made them into long cylinder strands and began braiding them together.

Two hands snaked around Romano's waist as the Spaniard's strong body pressing against his back. The Italian slowed his movements as he felt the boy's hot breath on his neck. Antonio moved his lips over his lover's ear.

"I missed you, mi tomate."

"B-bastard…what do you… think you're doing-g?" He stammered and swallowed roughly.

The Spaniard nuzzled his nose into the Italian's soft locks of hair and pressed his lips softly to his collarbone, which elicited a small moan from the smaller man. Smiling into his neck, Antonio showered him with soft, sweet kisses along his neckline, earning sweet sounds from Romano as the boy's eyes fluttered closed. The man moved his hands down to the small of his back to slowly untie the apron's ribbon. He pulled ever so gently and teasingly on the string with one hand, while the other lightly fluttered over his torso and down the Italian's stomach. Gradually succumbing to the pleasure, the boy leaned his neck further back and arched into his touch—

A sequence of chimes sent Romano's eyes open and caused Antonio to halt his movements. Looking over to the other side of the kitchen, the oven flashed the words "END TIME" in red on it's top left screen. The Italian pushed out of his boyfriend's arms and pulled open a drawer to grab oven mitts, using the time to calm his blush and breathing. As Romano carefully took out the blue pan filled with sizzling lasagna, Antonio cleared the way for him to set it down and leaned over to inspect the food.

"Oh? It looks very tasty, Roma~" The boy scowled and peeled off the protective gear.

"Told you I could cook, bastard. Now move."

Holding up the cool trays with the bread dough on them, the boy pushed them into the oven and set the right temperature and time. Closing up the oven door, Romano chanced a glance at his boyfriend, who was trying to snatch a taste of the lasagna without burning his finger. He failed, however, and winced as the boiling sauce touched his finger. Sighing, Romano wondered how he could he go from seducing him one moment to acting like a complete idiot the next.

"Seriously…" He sighed and pulled the boy's finger out of his mouth and under running water.

"You're hopeless." Antonio chuckled and felt his finger throb under the cold liquid.

"So Feli's out with Ludwig?" Romano let go of the boy's hand and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, the douchbags. And I even helped him find the perfect suit for the wedding, with no thanks from him." He muttered, gathering some of the dishes to put in the sink. Antonio followed him.

"Hmm. What color is the suit?" The boy opened up the cabinet and picked up two plates and two settings.

"White," Holding out the dishes, Romano looked at him, "Can you take these and set the table?"

Nodding, the Spaniard took the items and headed out of the room.

"White is such a nice color for a wedding~" he said dreamily, his voice slightly muffled by the walls. Romano scoffed as he put back on the protective gloves and carried the lasagna to the table. Antonio sat down across from him as the boy hurried around the kitchen, getting the right utensils to serve their meal.

"You would wear white, wouldn't you?" Romano chuckled and continued, "And I bet you'd still have that stupid grin on your face when you're looking back at—"Realizing what he was saying, the Italian didn't finish the sentence and left it at that as he went to retrieve the finished bread from the oven. What would he have said? The bride? But that would imply that Antonio would marry a woman, who was probably beautiful and kind just like him. That would mean he wouldn't be with Romano. And…well…he didn't want to think about that.

Romano set the bread down on the granite counter top and used a spatula to easily detach the loaves from the hot pan. Placing the best looking one on a rectangular wooden board, the boy brought out the final setting piece of the evening.

Antonio sat there patiently smiling, while watching his boyfriend play house wife. He really was the cutest thing with his pout and frilly peach apron. And he was pleasantly surprised to find that the Italian did cook, and rather well too! He could daydream all day about ripping that apron off like a present and ravaging the boy's beautiful body and having him all to himself. He shook his head of the thoughts before they could take over his mind, and plunged a spoonful of lasagna into his mouth.

It had been happening a lot more lately. And he had just barely held back in the kitchen. He couldn't help it. Once he thought of his Romano, he thought of his face and cute attitude, and if he would be shy if he kissed him senseless, or if he would blush just as much as usually did if he was under him, making sounds no one had ever heard from the Italian. But no! He had to control himself. What would Romano think of him if he found out he was thinking like this?

"Oi! Bastard! What the hell are you spacing out for?"

Romano's lips was lined in a frown as he tossed a piece of bread in his own mouth. Smiling, the Spaniard slid his hand across the table and intertwined it with the boy's.

"Sorry, mi querido. I was just thinking." The Italian eyed him suspiciously.

"We both know that never ends well." Antonio chuckled and leaned forward, remembering the last time he had let his mind get the better of him.

"You needn't worry. How is your project coming along?" Groaning and throwing his face in his free hand, the boy shook his head in frustration.

"I don't know what to do! I don't know what makes me happy." The older boy dribbled his fingers on his chin.

"Hmm…your brother?" Romano sighed and took a couple bites of the lasagna.

"Most of the time he makes me feel everything besides that."

"Your grandfather?"

"God no. Mostly frustration."

"Ludwig?"

The boy just shot him a deathly glare in response as the Spaniard just laughed.

"Kidding, kidding." Lifting his fork, Romano pointed it at the man menacingly.

"Pull anything like that again and I'll hit you so hard you'll end up in a wheelchair." Slicing a piece of sweet dough from the loaf and plucking it in his mouth, Antonio pouted.

"Aw, Roma~ Don't be like that. What about your parents?" The brunette watched the boy fall silent again and stare down at the cup he was holding.

"She…she did make me happy. But, no…no. I couldn't use her."

"Why not?" he asked curiously.

His boyfriend didn't answer, only expressing his emotions through his shifting eyes and thinned lips. Antonio gave him a reassuring squeeze.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to them?" It was couple moments before the Italian spoke up.

"I…it was a long time ago." Romano told him shakily. Antonio nodded, staying quiet so he could continue.

"We all lived in Italy, in the place I told you about. Feli was seven, while I was about nine. Our dad left us when we were young, so we never knew what he was like. So it was just the three of us, but that was all right with me. Since our mom liked to dress us up, we got made fun of a lot by the other kids in town. It was Feli who got the most teasing, since I would just run those who tried to make fun of us off. If Mama thought we were cute, why should we care what others said about us?"

Romano chuckled at the memory before pulling his free hand into a tight fist.

"One day, after I got scolded for fighting with these older boys and ran off to the purple fields to have some peace and quiet, I heard my brother's voice in the wind and took the small pathway back to the road in order to see what was going on. When I got there, I saw the same boys picking on my brother, trying to rip his dress and check if he was actually a boy. I was so furious that I marched right over there and gave the leader a good beating. He just laughed and wiped away the blood from his cheek, and told me I would end up like my mother, alone and with a bunch of spoiled brats.

"That did it though. It sent me over the edge. The other boys tried to pull me off but I just hit them too. One of them was holding cigarette, and when I punched him it flew out of his hands and into a patch of weeds. It caught fire so fast. It was unbelievable. We all watched, frozen in place, as the fields were over taken with flames. The boys that had harassed Feli got out of there quickly, taking their beat up friend with them and leaving me and my brother there, standing in horror as we watched the fire head towards our side of the hill.

"We…we couldn't stop it. We ran back to our house, but it was already engulfed in flames… and she was still inside. We couldn't save her. I-if I hadn't…if I hadn't…"

Romano felt arms wrap around him and pull him to his chest. When had Antonio even gotten up?

"It's all right, mi amor. Don't cry."

The boy lifted his shaking hands to his eyes and found that they were wet. As soon as he inspected the tears and realized that he was in fact crying, he let out a heart wrenching sob. Antonio petted his hair and pulled him closer.

"It's ok, Romano. It wasn't your fault."

The boy fisted his hands in his shirt and cried into his shoulder. "B-but—it was and I-I couldn't do-o anything!"

"Romano, you were only nine. You were protecting your brother and you had no idea something like that was going to happen. You did nothing wrong, mi tomate." Antonio spoke in a calm but comforting voice.

The Italian sniffled and whispered, "You know what? I was always afraid what those boys said would come true. I _was_ alone after that, and a lot of people looked at me like I was the one who had caused everything. I couldn't even escape to my purple fields...the fire had eaten them up too."

The boy wiped away some of his tears with the ends of his sleeves. Antonio pulled his arms away and stared him straight in the eyes.

"Romano. You're not alone. You're never going to be alone again."

"Bastard…how do you know that?" Romano whispered, looking down and biting his lip insecurely. Smiling, Antonio lifted the boy's head and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.

"Because I won't ever let you be."

Smiling slightly at his words, the Italian dropped his head into his chest once again.

"Antonio…I-I really care about you."

Raising the boy's head to look up at his, Antonio bumped their foreheads together and grinned.

"I know. I love you too, mi amor." The boy pulled himself up to give Antonio a sweet, chaste kiss, and then rested his head on his shoulder.

"I think I know what I'm going to do for my project."

"Hmm?"

"I think…I want to do it on Maria's Fields."

"The purple fields?" Romano nodded.

"I think…they could give me peace." Smiling contently, the Spaniard ruffled his hair.

"Good. I'm proud of you."

Pulling himself up, the Italian wiped his face one last time and stood up.

"Ok, let's stop with all this sentimental shit and go watch a movie."

The taller boy got up as well and stretched.

"Want the ice cream?"

"About fucking time."

* * *

**A/N:**

**Aw, brother bonding time :)**

**Some translations:**

**Omedetogozaimasu - Congratulations**

**Kon'nichiwa – Hello**

**Helado – ice cream**

**Ti voglio bene - I love you**

**Oh, and Heracles = Greece.**

**I should probably warn you guys that the ratings will go up next chapter, so be prepared XD**

**Thank you for the reviews and support! I hope you're all enjoying the story~**

**Next chapter will be out by Wednesday!**


	7. Chapter 7: Do You Think I'm Sexy?

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. You guys are awesome!**

**So this chapter will contain descriptive sexual content…Rated M… :D**

**It's my first time writing some lemon so I don't know how it'll be, but I do hope you like it! ;)**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Do You Think I'm Sexy?**

"_I can't believe he didn't tell me—his awesome brother!"_

Antonio chuckled as he balanced his phone between his shoulder and his ear.

"He just doesn't want you to go crazy with it, that's all." An exasperated sigh was heard on the other line.

_"But I won't! I mean, I'll make it awesome, which does include a little bit of wildness. It's for his own good! He needs to loosen up!"_

Clutching onto the wheel of his car, the Spanish boy dipped down a hill and back up over another before answering.

"Ludwig has never loosened up. Not even that time we made him drink seven beers." The Prussian man laugh heartily.

"_I remember that! Good times. But you see what I mean? How is that energetic Italian guy going to stand him if he's always boring and never fun?"_

An irritated voice to the right of Antonio spoke up.

"Tomato bastard, wrap it up. We're going to die if you don't watch where you're going."

The man turned to look at Romano who looked like he was scared for his life, but still insistent on glaring at the Spaniard to make his case. Well, he did have a point. They were on a road with lots of hills and tight turns. It was hard for him to navigate and focus on the road while tilting his head to the side like that. Antonio flashed him an apologetic smile and continued speaking to Gilbert.

"I think he knows what he's getting into by marrying him. But you could still try to ask him. Who knows? Maybe a Bachelor Party is just what he needs?"

_"Yeah! I'll ask him. That's a dedicated Italian. Speaking of Italians…when are you and yours finally going to fu—"_

"Gotta go! Talk to you later, amigo." The Spaniard cut in quickly, ignoring the protests from the other man. He shut the phone and threw it into the center pocket between the driver's seat and shotgun of the car. Steading his hands on the wheel and straightening his head, he glanced at his pouting boyfriend.

"Sorry. Once Gilbert gets talking, I can't get him to stop." Romano scoffed and visibly relaxed as the car fell into a calmer state.

"Sounds like someone else we know," he mumbled, his happy Italian brother popping into both of their minds. Laughing, Antonio made a sharp turn and proceeded down onto a straighter road.

"Well… maybe that's a good thing. Ludwig talks too little, and Feli talks too much. It's the perfect balance~" The man decided as his boyfriend hummed and crossed his arms.

"Hmm…maybe you're right. I still don't like that potato-loving bastard though," the boy muttered, folding his arms, "Anyway, can you please tell me where we're going now?"

Antonio sent a quick smirk to the Italian before focusing his eyes back on the suddenly winding road.

"That's the point of a surprise, mi querido. Just bear with it, we're almost there~"

Romano pouted, but stayed silent as he stared out the window at the small mountains temporarily surrounding them. The Spanish man had insisted on taking him somewhere for the weekend, feeding much to his uncertainty. They had never been on a trip before, much less stayed the night. He snuck a peek at his happy boyfriend, who was humming to the Spanish song on the radio with a content smile on his face. It was adorab—_ridiculous_, yes, and stupid. The Spaniard's eyes shifted to the GPS and, as if signaling something, flashed. His tan hand slipped into the glove box and dropped something into the Italian lap.

"Okay, put this on," Antonio directed without taking his eyes off the road. Inspecting the item, the boy looked down and back up at the smiling brunette with a shocked expression.

"What the hell is this?" The man kept grinning like nothing was wrong.

"It's part of the surprise, mi tomate," he told him simply. Growling, Romano held the item up.

"What kind of surprise is this?! What the hell do I need a blindfold for?"

Reaching over, the Spaniard gently took the boy's free hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Trust me, Romano," spoke the man with sparkling eyes.

God dammit. The bastard was pulling the 'don't you trust your boyfriend?' tone. It's not that he didn't trust him, he just didn't trust the man's driving…or his own sense of coordination. And when they got out, he knew he was bound to fall if he was walking around blindly. But…if it was what Antonio wanted…

Raising up the blindfold and giving the boy one last frown, the Italian pressed the silky black material to his eyes and tied it around his head. He pulled tightly at the strings before settling back into his seat.

"Please don't kill us, bastard." Romano heard Antonio's deep voice chuckle.

"I'll try not to~"

They drove on for a good ten more minutes, while Romano squirmed in his seat, sending curses towards his boyfriend for making him wait this long. He felt the black jeep (yes, Gilbert let them borrow it because he was 'awesome') come to a stop and heard the car door that was not his open. Waiting anxiously and staring in to darkness with microscopic rays of light, the boy heard his own door ajar and the Spaniard unbuckling his seat belt. The man lightly pulled on his clothing to guide him away from the car.

"Keep walking. I've got you." He cooed reassuringly, resting his hands on the boy's back. Cautiously stepping forward, Romano felt brushing against his jeans and a calm breeze that tickled his face. He stumbled over a hard object (probably a rock) and cursed at the Spaniard before regaining his footing. A strong scent invaded his senses and made him feel slightly drowsy and nostalgic. What…what was this sensation?

"What is this place?" The boy whispered to no one on particular. Antonio was quiet, the only sign that he was still there was of his feathery grip on his shoulders. After a few more steps, Romano was gently stopped. Antonio was behind him, moving his hands slowly down his arms and to his hands, breathing on his neck. The chills that ran down his neck weren't from the wind.

"You can take off your blindfold now," spoke Antonio in a sultry voice.

Romano pulled the piece of cloth down to his neck and was immediately bombarded by a sea of magenta. It was like taking a trip back in time, and suddenly Romano was eight again, letting the smell of sweet flowers wash over him and fill him with peace. And now here he was, standing in the middle of a large field of similar purple flowers, a strong but delightful breeze passing through his clothes and body. The boy turned back and looked at Antonio, who had his lips turned into a smile and yet a grip on uncertainty on his bottom lip.

"What do you think?" He asked in a whisper that the wind carried to the Italian. Romano was quiet as he walked over to Antonio and stared at him for a moment, before wrapping his arms around him and hugging the man.

"It's wonderful, bastard. I never thought…I'd see it again." Petting his head, the brunette sighed in relief. Romano had liked it.

"I wish it was the actual one, but you were right. It was destroyed in the fire." The Italian leaned back and looked up at him, perplexed.

"You…found this place…for me?" Antonio cupped his cheek and gave him a loving smile.

"Of course, mi amor."

The couple shared a loving kiss before the taller man suddenly pulled back.

"Now," he ran back to the car and yelled from a distance, "You can work!"

Romano cocked his head confusingly and watched as the Spaniard pulled out a large canvas board that the Italian typically used for painting and sketching. Antonio held the board under his left armpit and a plastic bag in another, and walked back to him with a grin on his face.

"I asked your brother for your supplies, so I think I got everything." Romano stared at him incredulously.

"Idiot, you took me on a vacation to _work_?" Walking a couple steps forward, the Spaniard shrugged.

"Well, it's for your project, right? What better than to work in the environment you're using?" Crossing his arms, the Italian gave him a frown.

"What if I'm not using those materials, bastard?" Antonio stared at him and looked at the items he was holding.

"You…what…are you serious?" he asked in a disbelieving tone. Romano shot him a convincing glare before breaking out in a small fit of laughter and falling back in the flowers like a grassy purple bed.

"I was just kidding. You should have seen the look on your face!" He rolled around on the ground, laughing his head off as Antonio just watched him blankly and then smirked.

"Oh, you think this is funny, do you?"

Romano wiped away a tear. "Yeah, pretty funny, tomato bastard."

"Well, I wasn't going to say anything, but if you're going to be like that, then…"

The Italian propped himself up on his elbows to see what the Spaniard meant. There Antonio stood, flipping through a book… in particular, _his_ sketchbook. Romano's mouth fell open as the Spaniard turned the book around to show a picture of Antonio sitting on the train.

"Wow, Do I really look this hot~?" The man winked down at his astonished boyfriend's face. The Italian blinked and immediately grabbed for the book, only to have the Spaniard hold it higher, still flipping through the pictures.

"You asshole! Where did you get that?!" The boy bellowed out. Antonio hummed and ignored him as Romano tried, once again, to reach up for the book.

"Feli handed it to me when he gave me your things. Oh, look here, it's me working at the coffee shop!"

"That sneaky son of a bitch! Give me it!" He yelled as Antonio showed him all of the pictures he drew of him. How embarrassing! Pouting, the man looked at the Italian.

"But I want to look more, Roma~"

Romano grabbed onto the boy's belt and pulled him forward, only to send him topping onto the boy himself. With a large "oof!", Romano recovered and pulled the book out of the man's hands and over his own head.

"No more, you conniving jerk! I can't believe you looked in my sketchbook." Groaning, Antonio pushed himself up to where he was leaning over and staring down at Romano, who was scowling at him with a hint of amusement laced in his tone. The Spaniard noticed the way the Italian's shirt rode up when he raised his arms, which revealed his creamy, inviting skin.

Leaning down further to where he was just over the boy's face, Antonio grinned and asked him in a husky tone, "Do you really think I'm sexy?"

Romano blushed, but still stared up into his captivating eyes.

_Yes._ "N-no, bastard." He said, attempting to sound forceful but failing. Humming, the Spaniard leaned closer, rubbing their noses together.

"I think you're lying to me."

_I am_. "I'm not! D-don't get so cocky, asshole," he growled without any real malice intent. The Spaniard frowned.

"Well that's not cute."

"I told you I'm not cute," He retorted.

"And you drew sketches of me. Why?" asked Antonio with a serious expression. This caught the boy by surprise. What was he supposed to say? A lie? The truth? He hated being cornered like this!

"Um…Because…Um…" Romano sighed, "Fuck, fine! I couldn't get you off my mind and my hand sort of just moved itself, ok?"

Blinking above him, the Spaniard chuckled.

"So you do think I'm hot." He teased, causing the Italian to groan and rub his head.

"Dio mio! Yes, you son of a bitch. Would I be dating you if I didn't think so?"

"Hmm, I suppose not."

Romano's eyes fluttered closed as Antonio leaned in closer and then stopped an inch away from his lips.

"Come on. You should go work."

The boy stood up and pulled the puzzled Romano with him. The Italian felt strangely disappointed. But…it's not like he wanted the bastard to kiss him!

"O-ok…" said Romano as he followed his boyfriend to where he had dropped the bags and materials. Picking them up and handing him his supplies, Antonio sat off to the side as the boy worked. Romano patted down a patch in the field and sat down, laying out all of his brushes and pencils in front of him. Propping up the canvas with his leg and staring out over the board, he delved into creating the scene in front of him. He noticed a variety of greens, purples, and a small amount of pink hidden within the brush. The plants moved in a fluid movement with the wind, like giant waves by the ocean side. A lovely pink, orange, and yellow sunset colored the sky and was framed by dark clouds hued by the approaching night.

He first proceeded by sketching the scene and outlining the shadows and aspects he wanted the viewer to focus on. Picking just a few colors was difficult, so he used many, a darker green at the base of the plant and lighter greens towards the tip. The purples petals had various shades to them, and seemed to remind him of a rainbow in some way as he painted. Mixing the sunset created a beautiful effect that seemed angelic and made him smile slightly at its beauty.

A flash to his right caught his attention. He looked up to see Antonio kneeling down on one knee, holding a professional camera to his face and pointing it in his direction. When did he get that? Romano crosses his legs and laid his canvas down.

"What are you doing?" The man looked out from behind the camera.

"Just had to take a picture, that's all." Romano raised an eyebrow.

"That sixth sense thing?" Nodding, Antonio set the camera down next to him carefully.

"You can continue. It's looking great," He said with an encouraging smile on his face.

Eyeing him one last time, Romano turned back to his half-finished work and lifted it up onto his thighs. He tried to pour all of his emotions into this peace. Happiness, sadness, awe, horror—everything. He knew his professor had said just happiness, but, to him, it seemed it never came alone. There was always something that came with the emotion, and he felt the need to push that in his piece. He poured into it his sadness for the loss of his mother. His sense of peace when he was able to escape from the problems of his life. His hatred for the boys that destroyed such a beautiful gift of nature. His shame at being part of it. His happiness that Antonio had taken him to this place, just for him.

And most of all, his love, which he had denied himself and others for so long.

Working for about an hour more with the sun almost gone over the horizon, Romano was just about nearly finished, aside from a few touch ups. Holding up the piece, the boy inspected it and put it down. He stood up and stretched his arms contently, glad to finally be finished. Looking down at the painting, he realized he was really proud of it. He felt like he had finally forgiven himself.

And then he smiled.

No emotions holding him back, he was free.

Another flash went off in front of him. Romano looked down at Antonio, who was on his knees with an expression of awe on his face. Arching an eyebrow, the boy looked questionably at his boyfriend.

"What?"

Antonio sat there, mouth opening and closing but with no voice coming out. It was a full minute before the boy spoke.

"I'm…I'm at a loss for words. I feel like…I just experienced the most amazing moment of my life."

The boy blushed and dropped his paintbrush to the ground.

"What are you talking about, bastard?" He muttered embarrassingly. The Spaniard looked mesmerized.

"I think…you're so beautiful. Your smile could command crowds. Your laugh could cure cancer." Romano snorted with pink still dusting his cheeks.

"Don't exaggerate, bastard. You're getting yourself confused with that feeling of yours."

Antonio shook his head and got up. Walking towards Romano, the boy stopped in front of him and laced their hands together.

"I'm not exaggerating. And I took that one for me, sixth sense aside."

"…Oh, is that so?"

The couple stared at each other for a while, a slight red on each of their faces. Noticing the dark fall over the taller man's face, Romano looked away towards the disappearing sun.

"We should go." Antonio followed his gaze, his hands gently squeezing his boyfriend's.

"You're right." However, neither made any move to leave. Before the last ray of sunlight disappeared, Romano spoke.

"Thank you."

Confusion was present in the Spaniard's eyes.

"Huh?"

"For taking me here. For being so understanding. For thinking of me," Romano nodded his head at their surroundings before moving his eyes back to lock with Antonio's, "For just being you."

Antonio stood there silently, letting Romano's words sink in. Taking no time for him to respond, Romano wrapped his arms around him and laid his head on his broad chest.

"Please don't ever change, bastard. Okay?"

The Spaniard lifted a hand to the boy's head and ruffled his hair before returning the hug.

"Okay, mi tomate."

~x~ **(Rated M ahead!)**

It took another thirty minutes by car until they arrived at the hotel the next town over. It wasn't a big town at all, so the hotel wasn't very large itself. The receptionists greeted them kindly and checked the couple in, and then had a small dinner at one of the local restaurants. After they were done, they took a quite stroll and headed up to check out their hotel room.

Antonio slid the beige card key into the door, letting both of them walk into the unlit room, and flipped on the light switch. The lamp in the corner instantly lit up, illuminating one of the fairly large rooms.

"Oh? It's not a bad size!" The Spaniard noted excitedly. Romano hummed in agreement and pulled the suitcase into the bedroom while Antonio inspected the bar and living room. Opening up the curtains, he was please to find they had a view looking over the fields from afar.

He also tried to ignore the fact that there was only one bed.

Putting the suitcase in one of the cabinets, Romano walked back into the living room area and watched as Antonio inspected the flat screen TV and room service menu.

"Do you not go to hotels a lot?" Romano raised an eyebrow and questioned while leaning on the doorframe. Flashing a polite smile, Antonio put down the booklet.

"Not often. This is my first time in years."

It was at that moment that Romano realized that he didn't really know much about Antonio. Aside from knowing what kind of person he was, what he enjoyed, and how he treated others, he didn't know much about who he was before that and what kind of life he lived.

But to Romano, that didn't mattered at all.

The man had taken him to see his favorite place (well, close to it) and always treated him with love at every moment. He hadn't given up on the Italian when he was difficult and he saw the good in his when no one else would. The Spaniard loved him for who he really was.

And he wanted to be Antonio's.

Getting up, Antonio stood up and walked towards the bathroom to check it out when he felt a tug on the back of his shirt. He turned around to see Romano, who was avoiding his eyes and biting his lip.

"Romano?" The man questioned.

The Italian finally looked at him, a flush in his cheeks and a haze in his eyes.

"Antonio." He spoke quietly, his voice laced with an unfamiliar tone that made his voice sound deeper than it was. This caught the Spaniard's attention as he turned to face the boy.

"Yes?" He whispered to him.

The boy struggled with his words. "I think I…no—I'm pretty sure—I..." Romano rested his hands on his broad shoulders and looked up into his eyes.

"I love you."

His cheeks flooded with blood as the man stared down at him frozen. He lowered his hands and clutched the man's shirt fabric in both hands.

"You make me feel so many things I don't know how to handle, a-and I feel so happy when I'm with you. Bastard, why do you do this to me? I can't even—"

Romano felt hands cup his face and pull his lips up to press warmly against his. Antonio moved his mouth lovingly against the Italian's, feeling the boy respond and wrap his arms around his neck. He lowered his hands to his waist and pulled his soft body closer into his hold. Soon, both mouths parted and allowed the other to enter. Romano tilted his head and moaned into Antonio's mouth as he lightly nipped at his lower lip and ran his tongue across the top of his teeth. The Spaniard moved quicker, Romano shivering into his touch and rubbing up against him.

This snapped something in Antonio, who broke their kiss for a second to lift the boy up onto the bar counter. Breathing heavily and lips chapped, they both stared intently at each other with the same hazy look in their eyes before reattaching themselves to each other, hands enthusiastically moving over one another.

Antonio ran his hands down the boy's back sensually and gave a soft squeeze to his ass as he pulled him forward to where their bodies were touching once again. He felt the Italian's hard bulge in his pants, only increasing the tightness in his own. Eager to feel more of Romano, he started to unbutton the hem of his shirt. Romano got the gist of what he wanted and complied, helping the boy pull off the piece of fabric keeping him from exploring his body. Tossing the shirt to the floor, Antonio kissed the boy again, rubbing circles with his thumbs right under his shoulder blades.

Getting the same idea, Romano moved onto the Spaniard's buttons and shakily tried to undo them. It took him a bit longer with his shirt, but, with Antonio's help, it eventually joined his own on the ground. The boy stared down at the Spaniard's body, marveling at his toned, fit body and running his hands down the protruding muscles.

Antonio smirked.

"You like~?"

Romano looked at him again and pulled him forward.

"God dammit. You're so fucking hot."

The Spaniard chuckled and ran his hands over his lover's body, which trembled in his hold.

"I could say the same about you." He whispered close to his ear in an erotic voice and began kissing his neck. Tilting his head to the side for Antonio to have better access, Romano ran a hand through the man's brunette locks while his other hand propped him up. Antonio licked and sucked at the exposed skin, eliciting loud moans out of the Italian as he arched his back into the Spaniard's chest.

That did it. He needed to make Romano his, _now_.

He lifted the Italian off the counter by holding him around the small of his back and around one of his ass cheeks. Romano held on, grasping onto his neck and wrapping his legs tightly around his torso. Laying the boy down on the large bed, Antonio stared down at him like a hungry animal. He couldn't help it. His tomate looked good enough to eat.

The Spaniard pushed their clothed arousals together, both boys groaning and wishing there was nothing between them. He trailed kisses down the boy's sensual body, stopping over one of his perked nipples to assault it with his tongue. Breath hitching, Romano squirmed as the boy licked the pink bud, and rubbed and squeezed the other with is hand. He arched up and fisted the blankets as Antonio released them and continued kissing down to his stomach. Sitting up over him, Antonio looked down at his lover's flushed face and beautiful body before reaching for his pants and starting to unbuckle them. Romano watched him as he pulled the material down painfully slow, hissing when the buckle went over his aching member. He arched up again, this time earning a chuckle from his lover.

"Be patient, mi tomate." Antonio whispered huskily.

The brunette yanked the jeans off the boy and threw them away somewhere on the floor. He tried to move back over the boy, but was pushed back by a blushing Romano.

"W-what's wrong?" The man asked confusingly. The Italian ignored him and instead moved his unsteady fingers to latch onto the Spaniard's belt.

"I don't want to be the only one naked, asshole." He said, trying to sound confident but uncertainty still filling his voice.

Antonio nodded and moved his hands to unbuckle the belt Romano had failed with. He tossed the belt and unzipped his pants, his lover helping him pull them off. Now both in their underwear, the couple stared at each other's apparent arousals and blushed as Antonio moved closer once again. His large hands moved to the hem of his underwear, and slowly drew it down and away to reveal the member that sprung up as soon as it was free. Romano blushed and covered his eyes, embarrassed to death at how vulnerable he was. His lover pulled his hands away from his face and gave him a reassuring smile.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, mi querido. It's just me."

"Like that makes it better, idiot! It's _because_ it's you…"

Chuckling, Antonio kissed him lovingly.

"I assure you that you are beautiful and _this_," he reached for the boy's heated member and groped it gently, making the boy gasp, "even more so."

Still red, Romano nodded carefully and moaned as Antonio began moving his hand up and down, first slow and then fast. He rubbed his thumb slightly over the tip, eliciting a hiss and groan out of the boy who thrust up into his hold. Antonio continued giving Romano a shower of kisses—on his face, over his neck, down his pecks, and over his arms. With his other hand, the man massaged his skin and threaded it through his hair, slightly brushing over the innocuous curl, which sent the boy moaning louder and arching up into the Spaniard.

"Ch-chi-giii~!" Romano yelled out breathlessly.

So _that's _what it did.

Continuing a steady pumping of the Italian's member and petting of his erogenous curl, Antonio waited for the boy to reach his heightened state, and kissed the boy one last time before pulling away.

"Hold on a second. I'll be right back." He whispered before getting up.

The auburn-haired boy propped himself up, breathing heavily as he watched Antonio run to the other room and grab something. It was only a few seconds later and the man was back over him, kissing him sweetly. The Spaniard pulled off his own underwear, letting his member finally free as well. Slowly pushing the boy's legs apart, Antonio noticed Romano freeze up and clutch onto him. The man petted his hair.

"Romano, do you trust me?" The Spanish man felt a hesitant nod in his neck.

"I promise I will be as gentle as possible. And if it's too much, just say so and we'll stop, ok?"

Romano slowly relaxed and released his hands from his neck. Turning away and covering his face with the back of his hand, he nodded and spread open his legs.

Antonio began reworking the boy's member as he slid the first coated finger into him. Romano moaned and squirmed at the uncomfortable feeling, while Antonio distracted him with kisses. The digit moved inside him in a circular motion, attempting to widen the hole. When he added a second finger and began scissoring, the discomfort increased, but it didn't really hurt—not as much as the boy had expected. Romano stayed focused on Antonio's reassuring words and lips as he worked in the third, expecting the sensation of pain at any moment. The Spaniard moved his fingers around until he deemed it properly prepared and pulled his fingers out of the Italian.

Romano felt a sense of loss without the digits there, and watched as Antonio rubbed lube on his member. The man then positioned himself and opened the boy's legs wider, his cock just at the edge of Romano's entrance. He intertwined his fingers with his lover's and whispered into his ear.

"I'm going in now."

The auburn-haired boy braced himself for something to happen and felt as the Spaniard slowly pushed in. He hissed and groaned as pain spread through his nerves. Holding back tears, the boy bit his lip and tried not to cry out. God, that fucking hurt!

"Are you okay?" The brunette asked worriedly. Biting on his lip and nodding quickly, Romano tried to be strong as Antonio pulled all the way in and squeezed their linked hands.

"Okay, I'm going to move."

Raising himself, Antonio pulled out and thrust back into the boy. Romano cried out as the man did it again and stroked his member to re-stimulate his pleasure. Didn't Feli say that it was supposed to feel good? That was the last time he—

A jolt of electricity surged through his body, making him moan out louder than ever before. Romano looked at Antonio, who simply smiled before thrusting up into him again and hitting that particular bundle of nerves. Pleasure filled his senses as his lover repeatedly pushed up into that spot, and they soon set a steady motion of arching and thrusting—creating the perfect harmony. They kissed each other again, as Antonio continued to work his member and make him moan enjoyably underneath him.

A couple few more jerking of his cock sent Romano over the edge. He saw white as he spurted over their stomachs, throwing his head back and moaning Antonio's name loudly as he came. It wasn't a few seconds more before the brunette himself spilled his seed inside Romano and rode out his orgasm. Antonio's body slumped as he tried to hold himself above the drained Italian. Sliding out, Antonio rolled over onto the other side of the bed next to his lover.

They both looked at each other breathlessly before the man pulled Romano into his arms and kissed his forehead.

"I lied. Now _this_ is the best moment of my life," he spoke tiredly into his hair, "I love you."

Closing his eyes and succumbing to exhaustion, Romano leaned into his chest.

He mumbled "I love you too", before falling into a deep and serene sleep.


	8. Chapter 8: Beware of the Fan Girls

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 8: Beware of the Fan Girls**

Romano woke up feeling incredibly tired, and—eager not to face the world just yet—snuggled into a heavenly source of heat that surrounded him. The smell of cinnamon and something else flooded his nostrils the more he leaned into the warm object. Curiosity filled his mind as he opened his eyes to see skin—tan, smooth, _breathing_ skin. The Italian looked up into the face of Antonio, who was sleeping so peacefully with Romano cuddled up to his chest. The previous night's memories flooded back to him in one instance, causing the whole head of the boy to turn red.

_Dio mio._ He had done _this_ and_ that_ with the Spaniard. As he shifted his legs, he felt uncomfortable and lowered his hand to feel his butt and found it wasn't exactly _dry_. Oh god.

Romano was no longer a virgin. And he didn't lose it with just anyone.

He had gone all the way with _Antonio_. _His_ _Antonio_.

And it hadn't just been good. It had been _mind-blowing_.

Slowly unwrapping himself from his lover's hold, Romano swung his feet over the bed and moved the covers back. Standing up to head to the shower, the boy flinched and found himself back on the comforter. A sharp pain in his ass and back made him hiss and reach for his back. Damn. What the hell was that?

Making sure he hadn't woken the Spanish man, he tried to stand up again, this time very slowly, and managed to stand on his wobbly legs. Grimacing, he made his way to the bathroom without too much trouble and pulled himself into the shower. There was already amenities provided, so he didn't have to retrieve anything else as he turned the knob and let the hot, steamy water fall over his body. Romano scrubbed all over and carefully cleaned away all of the previous night's evidence. After he was finished, the boy stood under the water, letting it cascade over his hair and down his body in every direction. There was nothing more soothing than a good shower.

Romano jumped and squeaked when he felt hands circle around his waist and a head rest on his shoulder.

"Good morning, Roma~" Antonio cooed, while his lover growled.

"You bastard! Don't sneak up on people like that!" The Spaniard chuckled into his neck.

"Sorry. You just looked so cute standing there~" Lowering his voice and moving his lips up to his ear, the boy continued, "Last night was amazing."

He pulled the blushing boy closer, but was met with Romano hissing and groaning in pain. Immediately letting go, Antonio looked him over with worried eyes.

"Romano? Are you ok?" Resting his hands on his back, the boy shot him a glare.

"Of course I'm not ok, idiot! My hips hurt like fucking hell!" Antonio froze and swallowed a large lump in his throat.

"…I hurt you?" Romano was about to chew him out again, but stopped when he saw the strange expression on the boy's face.

"…It's ok, bastard. It's not that bad—"

The Spaniard cut him off by exiting the shower door and leaving the bathroom. The Italian stared at the bathroom door in confusion and, after turning off the water, exited as well. Pulling a towel around his waist, Romano followed the Spaniard to where he was sitting—on the bed looking out towards the window. He joined him on the edge of the bed, glancing at the man's frustrated and almost painful expression.

"Antonio…" The Italian began, but the man himself spoke up.

"I'm sorry, Romano." Wincing, the boy furrowed his brow.

"…Sorry for what, dummy?" His boyfriend sighed, yet still didn't look at him.

"For making you feel this way. For pushing you too far. For hurting you when all I want to do is protect you."

He couldn't believe what the Spaniard was saying. Clenching his fists tightly, Romano pushed back tears.

"…Do you…do you regret having sex with me?" he asked quietly. Antonio stayed silent and stared at his fisted hands before answering.

"I shouldn't have forced you into it." A flash of hurt flashed in the Italian's eyes as he fell quiet. Lifting up off the bed and slowly walking over to pick up one of the decorative pillows that had fallen on the floor, Romano turned around and threw it at Antonio's face as hard as he could. With an "smack!", the Spaniard massaged where the heavy pillow had made contact and stared dumbfounded at the auburn-haired boy, who had tears brimming at the corner of his eyes.

"You fucking bastard. I'll have you know that you didn't force me into anything. I wanted to have sex with you!" Rubbing his eyes, he threw another decorated pillow, which Antonio was able to avoid as the boy continued his rant.

"Last night…was wonderful and marvelous… and one of the most important nights of my life…and you-you regret it?!"

Understanding what Romano was saying, Antonio shook his head furiously and quickly took hold of the wrists of the assailing hands that threatened to throw more pillows.

"Oh god, Romano. No, no, no, no. You have it all wrong, mi amor. I could never regret making love to you. I just never want to hurt you—" The Italian cut him off with a growl.

"You didn't hurt me though! Sure, there's a little pain, but that's just proof that it wasn't a dream. Something this amazing can actually happen. What hurts is you regretting you made me feel this way… you regret l-loving me this way…"

Romano turned his head away to hide his free-falling tears, but felt Antonio shift the Italian's face gently to look at his and pull him into his hold.

"Shh…mi tomate. I'm sorry. Oh god, I'm so sorry. I never meant to make you feel that way. I love you so much, I've wanted to make love to you every day that I see you…"

Pulling the boy gently closer, the Spaniard swallowed.

"It's hard for me to keep my cool and restraint when I'm with you…You drive me crazy with passion and love and happiness that I don't know if I can handle or control myself. I was afraid that I had pushed you too far and not even realized it…Please, forgive me, Romano." Antonio wanted to squeeze him in a hug and hold onto him for dear life, but refrained and just held him in his arms.

"You…asshole…idiot…jerk…" The boy spewed out as his arms encircled the Spaniard's torso. Antonio leaned down and kissed away the Italian's tears, which were beginning to slow as he calmed down in his arms.

"I know, mi querido."

After several minutes of sniffling and quiet, Romano sat up—his towel barely hanging on—and glowered at the man.

"Not forgiven." Antonio's heart would have shattered if he didn't hear the amusing tone in the boy's words.

"What can I do to make you forgive me?" He played along, remembering their text conversation. Sighing, Romano rolled over ever so carefully onto the other side of the bed.

"You can… order me some breakfast. And get me some damn Advil, bastard."

The Spaniard smiled and kissed the boy's forehead.

"Leave it to me."

~x~

Romano had spent the rest of the day in bed with Antonio catering to his every need. The man ordered him a nice plate of pancakes with a side of hash browns and bacon, in addition to some really effective medicine. He even ordered them a comedy movie to watch on the TV and brought him tomato juice. The Italian felt partially guilty for making the Spaniard run around for him, but he's the one who caused the problem in the first place for acting like that, dammit! Why did he have to be a douchbag one second and his sweet, loving boyfriend the next?

After they ran out of things to do, his boyfriend sat next to him on the bed, flipping through the channels without any real objective in mind. The Italian glanced furtively at his lover and, deciding he wanted the man's attention, moved his hand over to lace his fingers with his. Feeling the boy's touch, the brunette looked down at him and smiled brightly.

"Hey."

Romano looked up at him and knocked his head against his arm.

"Hi, bastard." He muttered into the fabric of his shirt. Antonio shifted so the boy could sit up into his arms.

"Do you need something?" Closing his eyes contently, the boy shook his head.

"No, I feel fine. I just…wanted to be closer to you." A small laugh came from the Spaniard as he pulled him into a hug.

"You're so cute, Roma~" Puffing out his cheeks, Romano nuzzled his head into his chest.

"M' not cute…bastard." He reminded him, though rather unconvincingly.

They stayed like that, in each other's arms, until Antonio placed a chaste kiss to the Italian's lips. He pulled away slowly and looked down into his lover's eyes, which were staring back just as deeply. The brunette placed another kiss on his forehead, then down his nose, and to his mouth once again. Leaning over the boy, Antonio deepened the kiss as Romano wrapped his arms around his neck and into his hair. A moan from his lover caused the Spaniard to halt his actions.

Breathing heavily, Romano looked him over.

"What's the matter?"

Antonio frowned. "We...we shouldn't. You aren't properly healed yet—"

The Italian broke off his words with a kiss and pulled him roughly down over him.

"I don't care. So shut up and make me yours again." He growled sensually. Antonio blinked and chuckled, leaning down to get a taste of his Romano.

"Your wish is my command."

~x~

"Ok, I have come up with an awesome idea—"

"No stripper bars, Gilbert."

Groaning, the albino man looked disappointingly at his two friends across the table. Francis, Antonio, and Gilbert had gone out for some drinks at their favorite local bar in order to discuss Ludwig's bachelor party. Close to their apartment, the saloon was about average size with a few wooden tables in the middle and a long bar with lots of mirrors near the side wall. They had discovered it coincidentally one time when Gilbert got drunk after their graduation celebration. He ran shirtless all the way down the street and into the building, yelling "FOR PRUSSIA!" at the top of his lungs. It was safe to say the bartenders kept a close eye on the three whenever they came in.

"What? Aw, come on! It'd be fun!" the Prussian man said, slamming his beer down on the table. Antonio leaned forward, swooshing around his red wine.

"I don't thing Feli would like another person rubbing up against his fiancé," he pointed out, but Gilbert didn't listen.

"But that's the point! West could really use it!" Francis, who had been sending winks to the college girls at the table next to theirs, piped in.

"Would we go to a male or female strip club? Both are fine with me~" The man then blew a kiss towards the women, making them swoon and giggle madly. Antonio ignored his antics and smiled nicely at his distressed friend.

"You should probably ask him before you set dates," he suggested. Ludwig was never the type to go out or do anything out of the norm, so a strip club probably wasn't the best decision for a party he was supposed to enjoy. Gilbert took a messy swig of his alcohol and made a satisfied noise.

"I'm supposed to surprise him! I am his best man! I get to plan it!" Laughing, the Frenchman flipped his flowing blonde hair dramatically.

"Hon hon hon~ He didn't even tell you right away! How did you manage that, mon ami?" Gilbert smirked and leaned in as if he was speaking about a top-secret subject.

"Well, he couldn't_ resist_ my persuasion—"

With a playful tone, Francis played along, "Because _no one_ can—"

"That's right!" the Prussian man snapped his fingers and patted his chest, "I could make a man give me all his money just by talking to him! I'm that awesome!"

Francis and Antonio laughed at their obnoxious but lovable friend. Crossing his arms, the Spaniard grinned.

"Sure, sure, Gilbert. Is that how you charmed Mat…uh...Mathias?"

A groan erupted from Gilbert's mouth as he threw his face down on the table.

"Matthew. Mein gott, it's _Matthew_! Can't you ever remember my boyfriend's name?"

"Sorry, amigo," Antonio patted his back comfortingly, "I'm not too good with names."

Gilbert sighed and propped his head up on his hand.

"Anyway, West was reluctant, but he finally agreed! Now I can't mess this up," said the Prussian with a determined expression. Francis smirked.

"You just want him to bail you out when you end up in jail again." The albino shrugged and sent the boys a mouthy grin.

"Pretty much. And I want to throw one hell of a bachelor party!"

"All right, we'll help you, man." Antonio gave him a thumbs up. Raising all their glasses, the three friends clinked them together.

"Okay, so I have another plan…" Gilbert began again, only to meet Francis' disapproving head shake.

"No illegal fireworks." Francis reminded him. The last time they tried that they ended up running from the cops and hiding in the alleyways all night. The hobos had been nice, but none of them wanted repeat of that.

"…uh, then what about—"

"And no naked women. Or men." Antonio warned. He knew neither groom would appreciate other people messing with their relationship.

"…but, ugh, fine—then—"

"No kidnapping either." Francis and Antonio said together as they gave him a stern look. Yes, they had done it _once _and it hadn't turned out well. Gilbert pouted and crossed his arms like a stubborn kid.

"Well then I have nothing. Way to take the fun out of everything, guys."

They sat there for a few minutes, thinking of possible ideas when Gilbert spoke again.

"Okay I really have something now! And it's totally awesome!"

Still looking skeptical, the two friends moved closer and listened to the boy's idea. After he had finished, both men leaned away with pensive looks on their faces.

"Ah~…That could actually work." Francis spoke first disbelievingly. A smug smile spread across the albino man's face.

"I know right? He'd feel so uncomfortable and turned on at the same time!" Antonio hummed in agreement.

"I think he'd like it too. Though how would you work everything out?"

"Don't worry, I'll use my master persuasion skills." He assured them confidently.

Francis sighed and took a sip of his French wine.

"Mon dieu, help us."

~x~

"Thank god! Like, finally!"

Looking up from his sketchbook, Romano turned towards the source of the girly voice that he immediately identified as the Polish boy. Feliks sat in the desk next to him, wearing a loose pink top with a black cardigan over. Leaning casually into his hand, the blonde boy leered at the annoyed Italian. Romano groaned and went back to sketching a beautiful redbud tree he had passed by on the way to class.

"What, bastard?" Flapping his hands around, Feliks grinned.

"I am, like, so happy for you. You really needed it," the boy clutched Romano's shoulder, a smirk ever-present on his face, "How was it?"

Romano shot him a pointed look of irritation. "How was_ what_?"

"The sex. Keep up with me, dude." The pencil Romano had been holding snapped as his mouth fell open, causing the blonde to chuckle.

"Oh, come on. It's, like, so obvious. You're practically _oozing _pheromones." The boy gestured to the Italian's body as if you could actually see the pheromones coming out and winked at him, "Besides, I receive too, so I know what to look for."

Blinking, Romano narrowed his eyes at the boy.

"Who says I don't top?" Feliks gave him a look and laughed loudly.

"Oh, honey. I can tell just by looking at you. Besides, from what I saw, that Spanish hunk has seme practically written on his back."

Romano scrunched his nose and furrowed his brow. What the hell was a seme? A scowl took over the Italian's face as he turned away to ignore the boy and pull out a new pencil. Feliks, however, didn't relent.

"Don't be stingy. Come on, spill. It was good, rightttt…?" He dragged the last word out as he inched closer, laying his head on the table to look up at the boy's face. God dammit, he had forgotten how persistent Feliks was. He had made the Spaniard jealous for no reason, but he had also been the catalyst for their first kiss. Maybe he felt he owed him a little something. Sighing, the boy put down his pencil and looked at the eager blonde.

"Fine, it was. Will you leave now?" As Romano expected, Feliks just grinned and ignored his request.

"I knew it. Damn, you lucky dog." He poked the boy teasingly before sitting up and sighing yearningly, "I wish Toris would sometimes just throw me up against the wall and take me then, but nooo, he's a gentleman."

The Polish man laid back on the desk while the Italian went back to sketching. Romano seriously wondered how Toris could possibly handle a high-maintenance man like Feliks.

"Why do you treat him so badly if you love him?" He wondered out loud. Shrugging, Feliks tilted his head playfully.

"That's just how I show him my love. Besides, just because I'm the bottom doesn't mean I'm not the one in control," The boy smirked and twirled his index finger to emphasize his words, "I've got him wrapped around my little finger."

Romano frowned. He sort of felt bad for the Toris boy. He practically did everything for Feliks, and for what? Did he really deserve to be treated like that just to please the blonde?

As if summoning the man, Toris walked through the door of the classroom and looked around. When he caught sight of Feliks, he immediately brightened and made his way up the stairs. He was a cute boy, with shoulder length brown hair tied in a short ponytail and vibrant green eyes filled with kindness, compassion, and happiness.

"Good evening." He smiled politely at the duo. Ignoring his greeting, Feliks tugged his boyfriend's blue jacket.

"Well it's about time you got here! Where's my patzkis?" he complained with a pout on his lips. Toris beamed and handed him the little paper bag he had been carrying. Feliks' hands immediately slipped into the bag and pulled out the round, sugary dessert.

"Yay! Thanks, babe." Romano watched as the blonde boy gave a light kiss to the Lithuanian's cheek. Blushing and looking like he just won a hundred bucks, the brunette boy slipped down into the seat next to his boyfriend. Feliks popped one of the doughnuts into his mouth and moaned in delight.

"Oh my god, sooo good!" he said with his mouth full. Suddenly remembering the two boys next to him hadn't exactly met, Feliks turned to Toris and pointed at Romano.

"Oh yeah, this is Romano, he's got a shitty attitude and a really hot boyfriend." Smiling apologetically, the polite boy leaned over the blonde to shake hands with the Italian.

"I'm Toris. Sorry if he's done anything to bother you. He usually just says whatever is on his mind."

Damn, this kid was nice. He couldn't even bring himself to call him any names. The boy probably got enough abuse from Feliks. Romano shook his head and gripped the offered hand in a friendly shake.

"No problem—Fuck you, Feliks—nice to meet you." The blonde laughed and wrapped his arms around both of their necks.

"God, you guys are great! Let's go hang out at Romano's boyfriend's shop, shall we?" A glare worked its way back onto Romano's face as he pulled out of Feliks' grasp.

"No way, bastard." The Polish boy pouted and hugged his struggling boyfriend even tighter.

"Come on! Toris wants to meet him. Don't you, sweetie?"

The Italian looked at the frightened Lithuanian kid, who was still in the Polish man's hold. The boy nodded fervently when he caught sight of Feliks' dark eyes. Slinging his bag over his shoulder and putting his things away, the Italian walked around the desks and stopped on the stair. Looking back at them, Romano sighed and gave them a small nod to follow.

He was doing this to save Toris, dammit! The two boys scrambled after him and fell into line with his steps. Feliks immediately handed Toris his large handbag and books, which he struggled to carry.

"Let me tell you, Toris, this guy is _smokin'_. I mean like, how did a guy like _this_ nab a guy like _that_?"

"I can hear you, you know." Romano growled out without looking back. Feliks shooed him and continued talking.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I was walking by the one of the sculpture classrooms and heard noises coming from the other side. So I looked through the tinted window and guess who I saw? Professor V and Professor O going at it! I knew they had something going on…"

Romano rolled his eyes as Feliks continued to gossip about the whole student population. Toris listened politely as his boyfriend went on and on with no stop in sight. God, this kid had a lot of patience. How did he end up with someone like this anyway?

It was at times like this when he thanked god for Antonio's patience with him. On the other hand, that also counted as his idiocy. Everyone was a fool in love, right?

~x~

Elizaveta was cleaning crumbs and coffee stains off the tables when three boys walked in, one of which she recognized was Romano. He wore his usual scowl, but held a hint of something else—peace? Happiness? Something different. Leaning up and wiping her hands on her plaid blue apron, the woman beamed at them.

"Hi Romano! How are you?" The Italian boy looked up at the Hungarian girl and sent her a polite smile. He may scowl and curse on a regular basis, but he wasn't one to be mean to women. After a couple visits, Romano had warmed up to the girl and accepted her crazy obsession with male relationships.

"Ciao, Elizaveta." Her eyes fell on the two boys next to him, one of which had his arm clung around the other. The blonde boy looked up and waved his head around.

"Eh? Where's the hot dude?" The Hungarian woman raised an eyebrow and chuckled.

"Are you here to see Antonio?" The blonde smiled and release the brunette boy, who was barely managing to hold the items in his grasp.

"Yeah! Where's that Spanish sex god?"

A very red hue spread over Romano's face as all the occupants of the shop turned to look at them. Elizaveta just grinned and sent a smug look at Romano before turning back to the boy.

"Hold on a second! He's taking a phone call. I'll go get him."

Once Elizaveta had left, Romano punched the blonde's shoulder. Whining and holding his arm, Feliks pouted.

"What was that for? It's true!" Crossing his arms, Romano began tapping his foot impatiently as if expecting an apology.

"Thanks for sharing my private life with the whole coffee shop, you son of a bitch." Feliks tapped his lip.

"I didn't say he was _your_ sex god, did I?" Romano growled.

"You did now! You fucking—"

"Romano? What's going on?"

The Italian turned to look at his boyfriend, who was looking at him and then at the sulking blonde leech. Antonio immediately recognized him as the boy that was clinging to _his_ Romano on their first date, someone he had hoped not to see again. Groaning, Romano shook his head in his hand.

"Nothing. He's just being an asshole." He pointed to his right at the boy, who was pointing at the Spaniard and whispering to a brunette boy next to him. Antonio cocked his head and grinned.

"Uh…all right. How are you, mi tomate?" Moving towards him, the Italian stopped in front of the counter and scowled at his nick name.

"Don't call me that! It's been good, though. I turned in my project, so now I can focus on planning something for Feli." Antonio laughed, as if he said something funny. Romano raised an eyebrow.

"What, bastard?" He waved his hand in front of his face, as if he was vanquishing away his boyfriend's suspicions.

"Nothing, nothing. I'm just thinking about what Gilbert has planned for Ludwig."

Romano narrowed his eyes. "And what's that?"

Humming, Antonio leaned down on his elbows.

"Can't tell! It's a secret~"

"You bastard—" The Italian frowned and shook his head, "Actually, I don't want to know. I don't care what that bastard does."

An arm slung over Romano's shoulder.

"What whooo does?" Feliks smirked and stared down the Spaniard, who frowned at his closeness to Romano. "Sooo you're this guy's boyfriend?"

He poked Romano's cheek. Antonio nodded and smiled as politely as he could manage as he watched Romano try to bite off the Polish boy's finger.

"And who are you?" the Spaniard asked calmly. The boy hugged the Italian closer, ignoring the latter's protests.

"Oh, a friend of Romano's. We're, like, super _close_." The blonde emphasized. Clutching a rag tightly, Antonio's eye twitched.

"Is that so?" The auburn-haired boy sighed and tried to struggle out of his grip.

"No, we're not. Get off me, asshole." A pout fell on the Polish boy's lips as he leaned more of his weight on him.

"Aw, don't be mean~"

"I will throw you off the side of a cliff and feed you to sharks if you do not detach yourself from my back right now," retorted Romano in a serious tone. Feliks scrunched his eyebrows together and leaned closer to the Italian's face.

"Ooo, Romanooo, you're so—"

A hand shot out and grabbed Feliks wrist, peeling the boy's hold off Romano. The blonde looked in shock at Antonio, who wore a dark look of anger as he gave the offending boy a deadly glare.

"He told you to get off."

Moving back a few steps, the blonde laughed loudly, clutching his stomach.

"Good. You have more fight in you than I thought," Feliks turned to Romano and smirked with a hint of something in his eyes, "I wasn't kidding when I said he's a beast."

Turning back to the stunned Spaniard, the Polish boy winked at him.

"Don't lose you head, hottie." Feliks flipped his hair and spun around.

"Come on, Toris, let's go shopping! I need a new dress!" The blonde said as he walked out the door, with his poor boyfriend muttering a quick apology before running with his items after him. Romano looked around to see all of the coffee shop's occupants' eyes on them again. Groaning, the boy turned back to a slightly distraught Antonio, who looked lost in his own world.

"Sorry about that. Thanks for helping me back there."

The man didn't immediately respond, and the Italian worried that something was wrong. But soon he was back to normal, flashing him his sweet smile.

"Ah, no problem, mi querido. Was there a reason why he was clinging to you?" Relaxing, Romano looked back to where the two boys had left.

"Who knows? Feliks doesn't really listen to anyone, not even his boyfriend. That was him, the one who left with him." Antonio secretly let out a sigh of relief.

"The one carrying all that baggage?" The Italian nodded.

"The poor bastard." The brunette boy chuckled and began scrubbing the counter with a white washcloth.

"So, do you want to do something when I've finished my shift?" Romano wore a slightly amused expression on his face as he crossed his arms.

"That's what I'm here for. You're coming over," the boy declared as if it was the obvious answer. Antonio raised an eyebrow.

"I am?" The Italian smirked and examined his nails absentmindedly.

"No excuses, bastard. Feli wants to have another group dinner." A question pegged the brunette.

"Is…uh…Nonno coming too?" Scowling, the boy crossed his arms and leaned against the counter.

"God, I hope not. He's my grandfather, but he can be too much sometimes."

Flashbacks from the last dinner they had flowed through the Spaniard's mind. He'd rather not be interrogated again. Antonio chuckled and leaned over the counter to sneak a kiss on the Italian's cheek.

"Of course I'll come, mi amor~" Romano blushed and turned his face away. Even after all they had gone through, the Italian still felt the stupid heart flip over every little thing Antonio would do. It was damn annoying!

"G-good, then. Tomato bastard!"

"Oh my…you two are just the cutest thing ever. So much moe~"

The couple turned to face Elizaveta, who was covering her nose with a bloodied tissue and staring at them with fan-girl eyes. A few girls at the couches behind her held the same look, although theirs was more discreet as they tried to hide their gaze.

Romano leaned over towards the Spaniard and whispered, "What the hell! You can't just do that in public, jerk! I can't handle fan girls."

Pulling off his apron and grabbing his bag, the man jumped agilely over the count and slipped his hand into the wary Italian's. Antonio laughed and smirked at the boy.

"Shall we go then, Roma~?"

Nodding quickly, Romano let his boyfriend pull him out of the shop away from the dangerous looking women watching them walk out of view. _Note to self: Women are crazy._

~x~

"Hello?"

_"Is this Romano?"_

"Yes, what do you want?"

_"Hold on a second—"_

Romano heard the voice yell in the distance something like _"the awesome me is taking a phone call!" _before bringing his phone back to his ear_._

_"Ok, man, I need your help."_

"Who the hell is this?" He had an idea, but just to make sure…

_"It's the awesome Gilbert!"_ Yep, he was unfortunately right. He didn't want to deal with the other potato bastard. Romano sighed.

"Dio mio, why are you calling me?"

_"Like I said, I need your help for Ludwig's bachelor party."_

"Why don't you ask Antonio, you albino bastard?" Romano heard the man laugh.

"_You see, this is supposed to be a surprise for him too…and only you can help me."_

Narrowing his eyes, Romano adjusted the phone. "You better start explaining."

Breathing in, Gilbert explained his plan as simple as possible to the Italian. Once he had finished, the auburn-haired boy had an immediate response.

"Fuck no."

_"Aw, come on! You're brother's ok with it! Do it for Antonio!"_ the man pleaded.

"He's an idiot. First you want to drag Feli into this, and now me?"

_"They're going to love it. It would make the best bachelor party ever!"_ Gilbert's loud voice caused Romano pulled the phone away from his ear for second before placing it back.

"Are you fucking kidding me? You can't be serious."

_"I'll let you guys borrow my jeep again! I think that went pretty well~"_ Romano blushed at his suggestive tone and ignored it.

"Nothing you can say or do could convince me." Sighing, Gilbert spoke up with an unenthusiastic tone_._

_"I'll pay for whatever you do for your brother's bachelor party."_ He bribed.

"Ok, deal." Gilbert laughed.

_"That wasn't too hard. Score one for my awesome persuasion skills!" _The Italian scoffed.

"What skills? I'm low on cash, bastard. You'll be saving me a shit load of dough." Gilbert was quiet for a moment.

_"Hey-y man. Don't go crazy. I'm not made out of money."_

"You need _my_ help, right?" He knew the albino could practically sense the smirk on his face, and listened to him groan in defeat.

"_Yes."_

"You better pay up," Romano reminded him sternly before letting out a sigh as the reality of the deal set in on him, "I still can't believe we agreed to do this."

Ludwig's brother laughed evilly into the phone. _"Give em' a show, will ya?"_

* * *

**A patzki is a Polish doughnut…they actually look really good!**

**Mein gott, Mon dieu – My god **

**Haha, I love my army of fan girls :D Fujioshis Unite!**


	9. Chapter 9: The Bachelor Parties!

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 9: Now Commencing the Bachelor Parties!**

The day of the bachelor parties arrived a lot quicker than expected. It was two days away from the wedding, which was to be set in a beautiful church where Feli would be taken up to the altar to meet his future husband.

Both of the grooms were ecstatic—well, as much as Ludwig could be—and had no idea of what each Best Man had planned for them. Gilbert, Francis, and Antonio would be taking Ludwig out, while Romano, Kiku, and Matthew would be handling Feliciano. It was decided that they would all meet up at the Italians' home and take them from there to each of their respective locations.

Planning to be there first, Romano and Antonio had taken the train after classes to the Italian's stop and walked the last stretch of the way to the house. The streets had already turned dark and a few streetlights illuminated their surroundings as they walked down the sideway in a peaceful silence. Each were quietly preparing for the night ahead of them. The Italian surreptitiously glanced a look at Antonio who was contently smiling up at the sky. He knew he had promised Gilbert he would follow through, but really, would he really be able to do this?

Distracted by his nervousness for the night's events as they arrived at their destination, Romano absentmindedly pulled out his keys and turned them into the door. Walking into the living room, the couple stopped in their tracks as they came across Feliciano and Ludwig on the couch, breathing heavily with their faces glued to each other in a heavy make-out session. It looked like they planned to get the party started early. They weren't even aware that they were no longer alone.

Face scrunched in horror, the older Italian dropped his bag to the floor with a loud thud.

"_Oh my god_."

Noticing their presence, Feliciano detached himself from the blonde man with a loud smack of their lips and smiled with slight flush to his face at the two boys from across the room.

"Ah, fratello! You're here early." Romano pretended to gag and covered his eyes.

"What the _hell_ are you doing? Never mind, don't answer that," he stated, shaking his hands in front of him. Ludwig, who had a faint red also tinging his cheeks, sat up with messy hair very unlike his usual slicked back do. Sighing, the buff blonde man rubbed his face.

"I apologize that you had to see that." A growl built up in Romano's mouth as he stepped towards the couple.

"Yeah, and I won't apologize when I shove my foot up your—" Sensing danger, Antonio held him back around the waist and smiled at the couple on the couch.

"It's fine~! We'll give you a minute to fix things up. The others will be here soon." Feli flashed the Spaniard a grateful smile as he placed an arm affectionately around one of the German's.

"Grazie, Big Brother Antonio."

With great force, the brunette dragged the struggling Italian out of the room and into the corridor. When he seemed to have enough self-control, the man released the boy, who laid his head on the wall depressingly.

"I'm never going to un-see that. Never! Those bastards," he moaned out and pounded the wall. Antonio placed a comforting hand on his boyfriend's back.

"It's ok, Romano. It's not like it's any worse than what we do." Romano blushed at the brunette and then looked away.

"T-that's different, j-jerk! Besides, at least you're not one of those wurst-loving bastard." Rubbing his neck, Antonio laughed awkwardly.

"Well, wurst is ok but his family sort of adopted me." Shocked, the boy swung his head to look back at his boyfriend.

"What?" Astonishment and confusion was evident in the Italian's voice. What was Antonio talking about? He was part of the Germans' family? This was the first he had heard of this. The Italian was about to inquire further, but stopped when Feli's head popped around the corner and flashed a smile at them.

"We're ready, ve!"

Taking one last look at Antonio who didn't meet his eyes, Romano followed Feli into the room to see that they had fixed their clothes. Feliciano was wearing a gray dress shirt with a few buttons undone and extremely tight black pants that Romano would have objected to immediately if it wasn't for his party. Ludwig was wearing something dressier: a white dress shirt that was cuffed along the sleeves and loose black business pants. Twirling around, the younger Italian grinned at his brother and Antonio.

"What do you guys think~?"

"You look great, Feli." Antonio gave him a thumbs up while Romano shot several glares at his boyfriend. Looking down, the man pointed at the big duffle bag the younger Italian was holding.

"What's in the bag though?" Romano was suddenly on the other side of the room, grabbing it out of his hands.

"It's nothing. It's just for the party." Feli giggled while Antonio and Ludwig raised an eyebrow suspiciously. The two men wondered what their Italian boyfriends were up to.

"Is that so…?" Antonio answered disbelievingly.

A ring at the doorbell saved them from further questioning.

"I'll get it!" Feli piped up as he skipped over to the door. When he pulled it open, he was suddenly grabbed into a hug by Gilbert.

"Hey, awesome future-brother-in-law! You excited?" The albino set down the happy Italian and gave him a pat on the back. The younger Italian laughed.

"Ve~, very excited." Feliciano winked at him while Romano just slapped his own face. God, these idiots. A smooth French voice came from behind the men.

"Well aren't you the cutest? Mon ami, you picked a handsome fiancé." Francis walked up from behind Gilbert and kissed the Italian's hand. Ludwig just sighed, clearly used to the trio's antics. Another voice—this one quieter and just as familiar—spoke from outside.

"Ma ji de…shall we not all stand in the doorway at once?" Kiku squeezed his way between the men with a grim expression on his face. Gasping, Feli wrapped his arms around the Japanese man and pulled him in a loving embrace.

"Kiku! I'm so excited to see you!" The boy just patted his back and offered a small smile to the eager Italian. With a groan, Romano rubbed his head. This was going to be a long night. Maybe he should take some aspirin before he left?

"Is everyone here?" he asked with a sigh, eager to get the part over with.

Gilbert looked around. "Where's Birdie?"

"Here! I've been here…the whole time," A docile voice answered with a sigh. The whole group turned to see a meek blonde man standing on the side that everyone seemed to notice for the first time. With wavy hair and violet eyes, Matthew offered them a shy smile. Laughing, Gilbert scooped him up in his arms.

"There you are! Guys," the man turned back to the group, "This is Matthew, my awesome boyfriend."

The boy waved timidly and pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose.

"Nice to meet you all." Gilbert suddenly turned to Romano, serious expression on his face.

"Don't lose him, ok?" he whispered with the boy still in his arms. Raising an eyebrow, the Italian glared at the unrelenting red eyes.

"Why would I lose a grown man?"

"Well, we've had issues in the past." The albino shrugged and shook his head, "Anyway! Doesn't matter! Take care of him!"

The albino set his boyfriend down on the ground and gave him a kiss on his cheek, which made the boy giggle. Romano rolled his eyes and clapped his hands together.

"Ok, everyone out of this house and head to your respective vehicles," he yelled above the idle-less chit-chat. Complying, the men started to head out and, when no one was looking, Gilbert slipped him a couple hundreds. With a smug grin on his face, Romano flipped through the bills and slipped them into his pocket.

It was time for the show to begin!

~x~

Romano had decided to go traditional for Feli's bachelor party, so he took him to one of the most expensive restaurants in town. Feli gasped in shock as they drove into the parking lot, and pressed his face to the window like a child would do.

"Ve, Fratello? This is La Bellezza! How did you manage this?" he mumbled against the car window.

"I made a call." Romano said nonchalantly, feeling like a cool older brother for once. Feliks, who was actually about as rich as he acted, had hooked him up. Apparently his father owned a variety of brasseries and eateries, including La Bellezza, and made lots of money on high end restaurants. He considered it "an apology for overstepping his boundaries", but really, Toris had made him do it. Turns out, the Lithuanian boy had a little bit more control that Romano originally thought. Feli screamed in delight and jumped into his brother's lap for a hug. With a large swerve. The older Italian almost hit another car before slamming on the breaks.

"Idiota! I'm driving!"

"Kudasai, don't kill us." Kiku gripped onto the seat with his life, a grim expression on his calm face.

"I'm too young to die!" Matthew cried from the back.

With a shove and growl of might, Feli was back into his passenger seat. Romano pulled up to the valet parking a bit off, but—screw it—he still made it. Handing the keys off to the chauffeur and taking a ticket, the older Italian and the others walked up to the receptionist.

"Reservation for Vargas."

The young woman scanned her computerized list almost robotically before looking up with a smile.

"Welcome, Mr. Vargas. Please follow your waitress to your seats."

A friendly woman came towards them form the left and directed their group to follow her. Scowling, Romano ignored his brother's starry eyes focused on him and walked up a flight of stairs to a table in a balcony seat that oversaw the whole place. It was previously an old theatre, which was renovated years after its closure into the fancy restaurant it was now. Seats were replaced with hand-carved tables and chairs, but the stage stayed put. The waitress, who wore a black dress and white bow tie, sat them down and handed them their menus.

"The show will start in thirty minutes. Your server will be right with you." She told them before taking her leave. As soon as the woman had walked away, Feli jumped up and down in his seat like an excited school boy.

"This is so cool, fratello~ Ti voglio molto bene!"

Kiku nodded, holding up his wine glass as the waiter came around and poured them some expensive wine.

"I am surprised, Romano. This is much better than I expected."

"Well, you're going to like this even more. Order whatever you want, it's on me." _And Gilbert._ Smiling like a fool, Feli looked over his menu.

"Fratello! You're my hero! I want the fettuccine pasta, the penne pasta, spaghetti—oh! The shrimp with angel hair pasta! Ve~" Kiku felt sick from just thinking about all the pasta types.

"That is quite a lot, Feli-san, are you sure you don't want to try one first and go from there?" the boy suggested with a hand covering his mouth. Feliciano frowned.

"Ve? But that's no fun. There are so many options. How can I choose just one?"

"Wow! Do you think they have pancakes and maple syrup?" All of the boys turned to stare at Matthew, who was excitedly looking back at them.

"Uh…maple syrup?" Kiku inquired.

"I'm Canadian." Matthew clarified, looking down at his filled wine glass, "It's the best food out there, but no one listens to me. Not even my brother." With a friendly smile, Feli leaned over the round table.

"I think pasta is the best food, but no one listens either! Let's eat pasta now, and then why don't we go out again and get some pancakes with lots of syrup, ve?"

A happy smile grew on the man's face as he nodded eagerly. "Of course! I'd be happy to."

He had to admit that his brother had a gift when it came to dealing with people. There was probably no one that could hate the younger Italian, even Romano as much as he tried—though he would never tell him that. Rolling his eyes at his brother, the older Italian turned to the Canadian boy to ask a question that had stumped him and probably everyone else.

"So how did you meet Gilbert, Matthew?" Not used to being noticed, Matthew looked fairly surprised to see everyone's focus on him.

"Ah, well! I was at the supermarket trying to get a bottle of maple syrup flavored cereal on the top shelf, but whenever I'd ask people they would just ignore me."

"Why didn't you ask the people that worked there?" Kiku asked with a hint of irritation. He did work part-time in a market, after all. Workers were supposed to do their jobs and help the customers! Matthew nodded his head.

"I did! But no one noticed me. It's been that way forever though," The boy chuckled sadly, "Anyway, I was still reaching for it when a tall man pulled it out and handed it to me. Then the man—which was Gilbert—started talking to me. I was so stunned that I just stared at him with my mouth open the whole time. He had to wave his hand in front of my eyes a couple times before he finally got my attention, but it was all good after that."

"Aw how romantic~!" Feli said dreamily, while Matthew shyly scratched his cheek. Before the boy could respond, the waitress finally came to their table, dropped off a basket of French bread, and took their expensive orders. Romano silently thanked Gilbert for proposing the deal, even if he himself wasn't excited to do it. After she was finished, Matthew smiled and turned to Feli.

"Well, you're the bachelor boy. How did you meet Ludwig?" Feli giggled happily and moved the salt inattentively in his hands.

"Luddy was very shy when I first met him. For the longest time he tried to deny our connection. It was hard. I took a lot of classes with him in college so I would do my best to talk to him every day! He rarely ever smiled and didn't have a lot of friends aside from Kiku, so I would try to make him laugh and spend lots of time with him, so he didn't feel lonely. I don't know, when I saw him I just knew he was the one."

The bottom of the salt bottle lightly scratched against the wooden table as Feli pushed it back into place in the center of the table. Romano blinked in shock. His brother, who was always so cheerful and likeable, had trouble convincing that potato bastard to date him? God dammit, he was going to beat up that son-of-a-bitch! Shaking his head, Kiku curved his lips in a small smile towards Feli.

"Feliciano-kun, I just wanted you to know that you and Ludwig are perfect for each other. He, too, fell in love with you at first sight. I know, because I was there when he saw you for the first time. It was like one of those romantic scenes in dramas."

Feli smiled gratefully at the Japanese man.

"Grazie, Kiku. I think we should all share our love stories, so go on ahead! Tell us yours!" Kiku's expression darkened.

"Oh... no… I respectfully decline…" Feli grinned and leaned closer to the boy.

"Come on! Tell us!" A nod came from the Canadian.

"If you would, please!"

Kiku turned to Romano, who, too, was waiting for his response.

"I don't really care, but it would be entertaining to hear it," he mentioned nonchalantly looking into his wine glass. Now cornered, the short boy sighed.

"All right…well… It's not much…but I met Heracles in high school," The three men waited for him to continue as he took a sip of his wine, "We both had ceramics together, and we sat next to each other in class. One day he asked to borrow a pencil and then we just talked from there."

The Japanese boy made no move to say any more. The three boys stared at him, slight confusion on their faces.

"…That was it? Not that it matters, but…" Romano asked first, still trying to hide his interest.

Kiku nodded.

"He asked me out a few weeks after that."

"What did you guys talk about?" Matthew questioned as he munched on a piece of bread.

"Cats, the sky, art, history, and more things..." he trailed off, not eager to elaborate.

Feli piped up. "That's cute, Kiku! Well it must have meant to be? You and Heracles are very happy, ve?"

"Hai, we are." The meek boy replied with the ghost of a smile on his lips.

Distracting them for a moment, the waitress brought their salads out and refilled their drinks. Once she was gone, all the boys instantly turned to Romano. The auburn-haired boy raised an eyebrow as he peppered his salad.

"What?" Realization dawned on him, "Oh hell no. I'm not—"

"Come on, fratello! They haven't heard yours yet." His brother insisted with an innocent smile.

"Yes, Romano-kun. We would like to hear how you met Antonio." Romano glared at Kiku, who looked pretty smug for the timid little Asian. Sighing in defeat, the Italian took a bite of lettuce.

"Fine. Let's see… We met on the train… well, we didn't really meet, I just sort of noticed him and I guess he noticed me too. And then I ran into him at this coffee shop that he worked at and the bastard tried to buy my food for me. I refused, of course. Who did he think he was? Tck, then I ended up falling asleep on the train and he woke me up before my stop…so yeah…after that we kind of just kind hit it off…though he did kidnap me that one time…"

The men stared at him blankly as well.

"…That's a very interesting story, Romano-kun." Kiku responded first with his brows that were knit with confusion. The boy groaned at their hesitant faces. This way why he never told stories!

"You wanted to hear it bastards, so deal with it." he spit out and crossed his arms indignantly.

"It's like a romantic novel~ Antonio seems like such a good guy for you," said Feli with a genuinely happy expression on his face. Not that he didn't usually—there was practically nothing that could depress the younger Italian.

"How long have you been dating?" Matthew inquired. Romano hummed and took a sip of wine.

"About two months?"

"Have you had sex yet?" Kiku asked calmly.

The older Italian spit out his drink. He knew that Japanese man had a perverted side to him! What was with these people and their lack of boundaries? Before he could think of something, Feli grinned and answered for him.

"Yes they have! Apparently it was really good!" Dropping his jaw, Romano stared at his brother.

"I never told you, you bastard! How do you know? Did Antonio tell you?" Was his bastard of a boyfriend telling the whole world about their sex life? He was going to kill him. Smirking, Feli tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Brother's telepathy? As soon as you came back home, you were a lot nicer and relaxed. Besides, I assumed from the hickeys…"

Blushing, Romano covered his neck, although they were no longer there. Feli giggled and waved his hand.

"Don't be embarrassed, fratello! Ludwig and I do it all the time, in fact last night after we made pasta—"

Shaking his head, Romano waved his hands in front of his face.

"Too much information, idiota."

At that moment, the waitress brought their food. Keeping true to their extravagant Italian tastes, Romano had ordered tomato agnolotti, while Feli had ordered the Penne all'arrabbiata. Kiku and Matthew, however, decided to have something more main-stream, with the dark-haired man ordering fettuccine alfredo and the blonde ordering lasagna (though each were dissatisfied that the restaurant lacked any of their own cultural dishes). All of the foods looked amazing, and tasted even better.

Feli placed the short noodles on each point of his fork and waved it around.

"Veeeeee! They look so tasty and fun~!" Kiku's face grimed at the Italian's childish behavior.

"Feli-san…please don't play with your food." The boy cocked his head and thrust the fork in his mouth.

"Ve? why?" the boy tried to say with his mouthful. Giving up, Kiku just shook his head.

"It's…ah, nevermind…"

Matthew, who actually had made a solid presence in their group, decided to change the subject.

"So…uh…Feliciano, where are you going for your honeymoon?" Before he answered, Feli moaned as he took another bite of his pasta.

"This is very good pasta! Not as good as mine, but still yummy. Ah, well…" Feli hummed and tapped his lip before remembering, "We are going to go visit our hometowns in Germany and Italy! It's been a while, so we thought we would reconnect our old lives with our new ones."

Pulling out chopsticks from his bag and breaking them apart, Kiki blinked and started on his noodles.

"Wow…that's actually pretty intelligent." Romano sat up.

"You're visiting Salerno?" The wine rocked back and forth in his glass as Feliciano held it up and looked at his brother through it.

"Well…It was actually Ludwig's idea. He knows how much it means to me." Grimacing, Romano plucked a piece of his pasta in his mouth and let his mouth flood with the delicious taste of tomatoes.

"The potato bastard actually lived in Germany? I should have known…" The Japanese boy sighed in contentment.

"I have visited Germany. It is very nice. You will like it there, Feli-san." Kiku gave him a small smile.

"Ve~! I'm looking forward to it!"

The lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only a candle to illuminate each table. Violins and a piano enchanted the guests while two head lights moved downward towards the stage. The curtains opened up to reveal a stage set up to look like Rome, with a woman in beige pink robes reciting lines from a play. Hearing the "oohs" and "ahs" of his companions, Romano soundlessly thanked his annoying Polish friend and leaned back to enjoy the show.

It looked like the boys were in for a treat.

~x~

Ludwig was horrified. He had been expecting a lot of things for his bachelor party—video games, some crazy activity that could kill you like skydiving, shooting guns, or sword-fighting, naked women or men dancing on poles, drinking like there was no tomorrow. But he definitely wasn't expecting _this_.

"Well! Here we are!" Gilbert exclaimed, placing his hands on his hips and letting out one of his obnoxious laughs. The big blonde man stood still as his brother and his two idiot friends walked ahead of him and looked around.

"What the hell is this?!" spoke the German man as turned to his brother. Jumping at his forceful tone, Gilbert patted his younger brother's back cautiously.

"This is your awesome bachelor party!" He said with a little hesitancy in his voice. Ludwig's eye twitched.

"This…this…THIS IS A BAKERY!"

Scanning around, Ludwig took in the plethora of cakes, cupcakes, croissants, and pastries that littered the shelves and counters. It looked like a ten year old girl's dream room filled with whatever cute food you could imagine. Antonio was even putting on a tomato apron and asking "Do I look cute in this~?" while Francis just laughed and tried to grope his butt. Gilbert grinned and leaned his elbow on his shoulder.

"Nice, isn't it?" Holding back his temper, Ludwig let out a sigh and gestured to his surroundings.

"Why is my bachelor party here?" The albino frowned.

"Well you like baking and shit! Your little Italian even said so!" The blood drained from Ludwig's face like he had seen a ghost.

"Feli told you about…my baking?" Gilbert nodded.

"Ja! Said you're pretty good at it, too." The man winked at his younger brother. The blonde walked a few more steps in and looked at all the creations.

"Mein gott… I was not expecting this at all." Gilbert snickered and slung his arm over Ludwig's.

"Uh-huh! Your awesome bruder got it right! And we aren't judging you or anything, we're all gay here anyway, besides Francis," He pointed a finger at the Frenchman, who was tying a pink flower apron behind his back, "Okay…well he swings both ways. The point is, we want to do something you really want to do. And if that's baking, we're your men."

Shrugging him off, Ludwig flashed his brother a silent smile. Wow, maybe his brother had changed and matured. Coming to respect the culinary art of baking was a step towards maturity any day.

"Danke, so what are we making?" The Prussian man shrugged.

"Well we have two hours to do whatever we want. You know what that means?"

With a devious smirk, Gilbert stepped away as the blonde stared at him in confusion.

In that moment, all of the Bad Touch Trio faced Ludwig and yelled, "FOOD FIGHT!"

Ludwig was not prepared for the glob of cake batter that was thrown in his face.

Never would he put "Gilbert" and "mature" in the same sentence ever again.

~x~

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:10 p.m.]**

**Hey, bastard. **

**How's the party going?**

xXx

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:16 p.m.]**

**Aw, Roma~**

**You text me first. I'm so happy~**

**It's good! He liked it…I think.**

xXx

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:18 p.m.]**

**Jerk, I see your stupid face too often to need to text.**

**What do you mean, 'you think'?**

xXx

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:20 p.m.]**

**Aw, you're so mean to me, mi tomate :(**

**Well…you know how I told you it involves baking?**

xXx

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:22 p.m.]**

**Well, someone needs to slap some sense into you.**

**Yeah. Can't believe the bastard bakes.**

xXx

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:25 p.m.]**

**Aw, I miss you too! :)**

**Anyway, we sort of…kind of…wasted half of the supplies…**

xXx

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:27 p.m.]**

**Idiot. That did not mean I missed you.**

**Of course you did...not that I really care how that bastard's night goes, but if Feli sees him in a bad mood, he's going to be sad, and I'm doing one hell of a job as best man tonight so—to politely ask—DON'T FUCKING RUIN IT.**

xXx

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:30 p.m.]**

**Well, I miss you :) Are you having fun?**

**We'll fix it, I swear! We're cleaning up now. I think even Ludwig kind of got into it towards the end! It was fun~**

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:31 p.m.]**

**Gilbert said we're making cakes for our boyfriends, so what kind do you want (:?**

xXx

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:38 p.m.]**

**Ugh…bastard… I may miss you…a little. Only a little. **

**Yes, ok. I'm having fun. This place has fucking everything.**

…**I'm not even going to ask what went down. **

**What the hell? Ask him why. **

xXx

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:41 p.m.]**

**3 (: We should go there sometime! It sounds romantic~**

**He said it's a gift for being an awesome boyfriend! I didn't know Gilbert could be so thoughtful!**

xXx

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:43 p.m.]**

**If you can afford it. This place would put me in the poor house if I ate here twice.**

**That bastard is about as thoughtful as I am with giving compliments.**

…**I want a coffee cake.**

xXx

**[Text from Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:45 p.m.]**

**Aw you're so cute, Roma~ **

**I will make you the best coffee cake ever! :)**

**And I will do my best to save up some money so we can go one day! ;)**

**I have to go~ baking awaits!**

xXx

**[Text to Tomato Bastard, Oct. 24, 8:48 p.m.]**

**It better be, bastard. **

**Don't kill each other.**

~x~

"Oh, Francis! Yours turned out very good~!" exclaimed Antonio as he bent over and inspected the cake from different sides.

The Frenchman had created an elegant three layer cake with little dolphins and sea animals dancing over the surface. Blue-dyed fondant created waves that splashed outwards and contrasted with the white frosting nicely. Francis just laughed and put down the tube of frosting.

"Hon hon hon~ Of course, mon ami. I come from the country with ze most delicious food in the world! Making this iz a piece of cake, literally." Francis spoke smugly, placing a handmade orange starfish in the middle. Antonio turned back to his creation and frowned.

"Now what do I do with my cake? It's not even an actual cake…I can't decorate it." It was true. What could he possibly do to a coffee cake without ruining it? Francis leaned over and stared at it intensely.

"Ah~ You are right. But you can add frosting and drizzle it on. Even write your love's name in ze middle."

Smiling at the man, the Spaniard avoided Francis's wandering hand.

"Gracias, amigo! I hope Romano likes it. Who is your cake for?" The French man only smiled and placed a seashell on the side of his dessert.

"A very special girl~" he began romantically.

"That's what you say about all of them!" Gilbert yelled from down the counter. Francis batted his eyelashes and looked to the ceiling in awe.

"Ah, it iz very true. All men and women are so beautiful~"

"How's yours coming along, Gilbert?" Antonio asked while the blonde was still daydreaming. The Prussian hummed and pointed at his cake.

"It's not as awesomely easy as I thought. I think it needs something else."

Looking at the creation, the brunette saw that it was partially lopsided with a badly shaped pancake on top with some brown substance on top. He squinted his eyes.

"Is that maple syrup?" Sighing, Gilbert took a swab of the gooey brown substance and tasted it.

"The babe's favorite food." Antonio gasped in excitement.

"Ah~ Romano's is the tomato, like mine! We have so much in common!" The French blonde on his left laughed and shaved off a little of the side of his own cake.

"You two are about as different as night and day."

"No, they are." Gilbert cut in and pointed at Ludwig, who was busy placing a meatball made out of chocolate cake and covered in strawberry sauce on his pasta cake. Despite the initial food fight, Ludwig had really gotten into baking and decorating after they had settle down. Even the Bad Touch Trio enjoyed it. Sensing everyone's attention, Ludwig looked up with a glare in his green and white polka dot apron. Francis leaned down on the granite counter and smirked at the German.

"Yeah, Luddy, how did you manage to win over such a beautiful, free heart~?" The man ignored him.

"I am not going to answer that." The blonde said, going back to his work. Antonio pressed on with his friendly smile.

"Aw, come on, Ludwig! We're sorry for throwing food at you! If it makes you feel any better, Gilbert is paying for it all."

"Hey!" The albino said, still depressed that his hard earned money was going to making cakes and having food fights. Ludwig growled and put down the frosting.

"I didn't win his heart…he won mine."

The boys stared at him blankly.

"Wow. That's deep, little bruder." Gilbert teased, sure the defensive man would respond.

When Ludwig didn't bat an eyelash, Francis spoke with a hint of surprise to his tone.

"What? The little Italian went after you first?" The German nodded reluctantly.

"I was not planning to get romantically involved with Feli." Gilbert laughed obnoxiously and gave him a confused look.

"What the hell, Luddy? You had a nice piece of ass chasing after you this whole time and you didn't go for—"

"Don't talk about Feli like that!" Ludwig rose and announced loudly, shocking all of the men. Sitting back down on the wooden stool, he sighed, "He's…ah, I love him. He is my other half."

"Why did you not want to be with him at first then?" Antonio asked calmly. The blonde boy looked down at his cake and poked it lightly.

"Feli's the type who's friendly with everyone. It's hard to tell if you're different, and I couldn't for the longest time. Besides, he's a wonderful person that deserves someone better than me."

"Why would you say that, mon cher? You are a great man!" Francis smiled encouraging at him.

"Besides, I think Feli feels the same way." Antonio added as he cocked his head to the side.

"He sure does! Don't worry, awesome little brother!" Gilbert wrapped his arm around Ludwig, "You know what this calls for?"

"DRINKS!" The two other men of the trio cheered enthusiastically.

Ludwig sighed, but then again, he really could use a beer.

* * *

**Some GerIta and BTT, because it's lovely as awesome as well xD**

**So there's about two chapters left + an epilogue! **

**Hope you all have enjoyed the story and thank you for the support! :)**


	10. Chapter 10: The Past Is Not Forgotten

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 10: The Past Is Not So Easily Forgotten**

"Are you sure this is the right place? Check the address."

"Hai, I checked the paper Gilbert gave you."

"Then why is it so fucking sketchy?"

The four boys looked up from their car seats in the parking lot to the building called "The Night Dancer." It looked very plain, there were no windows, and the only way in was a red side door that tough looking men were guarding. The albino had given Romano directions, but, after driving down streets and ending up at too many dead ends, finding the place had been a bit more trouble than they anticipated. Even though they finally made it, the club didn't look like anything special. Feliciano leaned his elbows on the dashboard.

"Ve…maybe it's nicer inside?"

"Is this a night club? Is this part of the party?" Matthew asked with confusion very evident in his tone.

"Uh…kind of," Romano turned back to the group and eyed them, "We're all over twenty one here, right?"

All eyes turned to Matthew, who blinked and turned defensive.

"What? Yes! I'm twenty-one! Don't I look it?" The other boys were hesitant to answer. Running a hand through his hair, Romano looked over the building again.

"Anyway, as long as we have our IDs, we should be fine. We're meeting the others here anyway." The younger Italian suddenly jumped towards the driver's seat—with cussing from Romano—and pointed out the window.

"Isn't that their car?" The men turned their heads to a Jeep in a parking space a few spaces away from them. It was empty. While Romano pushed his clingy brother off, Kiku hummed.

"Looks like they're already inside."

"So what's the plan?" Matthew asked, still a bit muddled. The older Italian sighed and leaned on the shoulder of his seat to look at the boys in the back seat.

"Ok, Feli and I have a job to do. You and Kiku are free to do whatever you want: drink, dance, party—go crazy. We'll meet you back in thirty minutes." An amused giggle erupted from the younger Italian as he unbuckled his seat belt.

"Ve~ Sounds like we're dealing drugs, fratello." Romano let out an irritated growl.

"Idiota! Do we look like drug dealers?"

"Hm…not really, but we could be some pretty cool mob bosses!" Feli mused. Romano raised his finger to protest but stopped as he furrowed his brow.

"Ah, we would, wouldn't we?"

"Si! But I wouldn't want to hurt anyone! I'd be a friendly mob boss~"

"Feli…I don't think that's possible…"

"Ve? Really? But—"

Kiku cut off their pointless conversation. "Ma ji de…Just make it quick. I will stay with Matthew."

The two brothers turned to their efficient Japanese friend and offered him a quick grin.

"Grazie."

~x~

"Woah! What is this place?"

Antonio exclaimed as he and the others in his group took in the whole night club. There was no one dancing on poles, but there was a shiny gray dance floor with lots of colorful lights and people grinding up on each other. Ah, typical partying. In the back there were gray booths where people were lounging, and littered around the room were black cocktail tables. On the very left side, there was a bar with three bartenders and stool seats. It was made out of sparkling granite, and, on top of the counter, there were pillars of metal sculptures of people in different dance positions who seemed to hold up the ceiling. Ludwig glared at the trio, who looked more excited than he was.

"Mein gott…where the hell are we, Gilbert?" Pulling a red drink from one of the bartenders' serving plates, Gilbert downed it and grinned at his brother.

"It's part of your gift. Have a beer. You'll like it soon enough."

Antonio, who had went directly to the counter for drinks, tried to hold four beers without spilling them. Making his way over, the man cautiously held them up to the men.

"Ah~ Here we are!"

Gilbert gladly took a beer and handed one to Ludwig, who sighed and took a small swig of it. The Spaniard turned around to give Francis his drink, but found he was no longer there.

"Huh? Where did he go?" Taking the Frenchman's drink from Antonio's grip, the albino set it down on one of the tall tables next to them. With a covert glance at Antonio, Gilbert leered with a hint of something else in his tone.

"Probably found someone already to prey on. Typical Francis." The man scoffed as Ludwig sat down and looked at the two men.

"So are we just going to stand around and drink or…?" His brother grinned smugly.

"Well if you wanted to dance with your awesome big bro, you should have just said so!" He tried to pull Ludwig up, but the German blushed and pushed him away.

"Mein gott, no! I meant is this all we're doing?" he exasperated. Both men grinned sheepishly and looked at each other before turning away.

"Well…you'll see." Eyeing his guilty brother suspiciously, Ludwig let out a groan.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Before he could interrogate him further, a French accent joined them.

"Mes amis, the time has come~!" Francis popped out of nowhere, grabbing his two friends around the neck and smiling down at Ludwig. With his obnoxious laugh, Gilbert handed the man his drink.

"Here. Is it ready?"

"Ah, merci~" Francis downed it and let out a satisfying breath, "Oui!"

Taking this as the signal, the men moved into action. Antonio smiled, pushing the blonde in Francis's direction.

"Come along, Luddy. We've got a surprise for you!" The Frenchman's hand, however, not only latched onto Ludwig's shoulder, but also on to Antonio's.

"Ah, mon cher. You are coming too." Francis winked at the Spaniard, who stared at him and blinked.

"Uh…are you sure about that, amigo?"

"Very~"

Turning to Gilbert for help, Antonio found the same smug reaction on his face. The man shook off his confusion and nodded hesitantly.

"Um…I guess?" The boy said unsurely, which Francis took as an OK. Pulling both Antonio and Ludwig to the back of the club, the Frenchman pushed them towards a black door and went through. What they saw was a stark contrast to the activities outside. There were several rooms-some open and some closed-each covered by a curtain and containing a chair and a pole. Sounds came from behind closed curtains—sexual ones that made the two of them blush. On the other hand, Francis was practically leaning over to hear the sounds better. Ludwig growled under the Frenchman's hold.

"I told Gilbert I didn't want a stripper." Francis chuckled softly and returned his focus to them.

"Ah, yes, we completely understand. Just wait in this room and we'll fix this whole mess, oui?"

Stopping both of them, the Frenchman pushed Ludwig into a room and yanked the curtain closed before the man could protest. Once the groom was taken care of, Antonio immediately confronted his blonde friend.

"What the hell? I'm not supposed to be part of this. What's going on?" He whispered frantically, trying to get some answers. With a raised eyebrow, Francis just tapped his lips amusingly.

"Ah, it iz a surprise, mon cher. Please wait in here." The man said as he forced him into one of the empty rooms across from the one Ludwig was in.

With nothing else to do, the Spaniard took in his surroundings. There was a black chair in the middle of the room, which was sort of rounded but flat on the top and large enough to hold two people. The room was decorated with old pink wallpaper that looked like it needed to be updated. The pole on the side was how he would expect any pole to be, silver, cold, and strong enough to be danced upon. To top it all off, there was a slow, sensual song in the background accompanied with the sounds from the others' room.

Running a hand through his thick brown hair, Antonio sighed. What the hell were those two thinking? He didn't want a lap dance from some stranger! He would just respectfully decline when they walked in, and get back out there and have a drink. Or better yet, maybe Romano and the others were done and they could meet up now—

"Hands up in the air." A deep voice sounded behind him. There was something weird about it. Was this a man or a woman? It sounded mostly manly with a hint of something else. He couldn't tell. Turning his head to get a better look, the man spoke up.

"Don't turn around either." He snarled and pressed something metal against the Spaniard's back. Oh god. This person had a gun. Digging the object deeper into his back, the man growled.

"I told you, hands up." Antonio complied and faced the wall. What was going on?

"Uh…what is this about?" He tried, but was instantly shot down.

"Shut up." The man spoke as he pushed Antonio's body against the wall. Was this really happening? Was he about to be murdered? He didn't even get to say goodbye to anyone! Would he never see his Romano again?

A sudden pair of soft lips and a tongue on the back of his neck sent chills down his spine. First a gun and now sexual harassment? Was this part of the program?

Frantic, the Spaniard spoke, "I think there's been some kind of mistake. I don't want—"

A small yank of his hair had him slightly.

"I said shut up," the man twisted the gun into the fabric of his shirt, reminding him of the position he was in, "Now, close your eyes."

Antonio reluctantly complied and swallowed a large lump in his throat. He had to get out of there somehow. If he didn't, who knew what would happen?

A hand wrapped around his torso, slipping under his shirt and running his fingers gently down his abs. The soft touch reminded him of his and Romano's first time, when his shy boyfriend had marveled at his naked chest and touched him sweetly. Oh god, he needed to get out of here. He had to see Romano again.

"Keep your eyes closed. Move where I tell you." The man's voice was commanding but also husky, obviously turned on. Sick pervert.

Antonio moved blindly, stepping back until the man had pulled him to a stop. Turning his body to the left, the man pushed him back into the chair.

"Ouch!" He yelped as he hit the cushiony part of the seat and adjusted himself. He was about to open his eyes when he felt the gun on him again.

"I said keep them closed." The man commanded, and Antonio did as he was told.

Antonio suddenly felt a pressure on his lower body, assuming the man had decided to straddle him. He felt the man's hot breath on his face as his arms wrapped around his neck. Shivering and clenching his fists, Antonio struggled not to fight back. What was going to happen now?

"Now," The man was closer, practically whispering into his ear, "Open your eyes."

The Spaniard's eyes fluttered open and readjusted to the colors of the room and world of lights. It was suddenly darker than before with only a few lights illuminating the area. The smaller man on him was wearing a hat and dark clothes which reminded him of a police uniform. That would explain the gun. Before he could look at the man's face, he was pulled into a fierce kiss.

He tried to hate this kiss, he honestly did, but there was just something about it… something that had him wanting more. It was almost…familiar.

Oh. Oh.

He recognized this taste. His favorite taste.

The brunette shifted up, wrapping his hands around the smaller man and kissing back just as passionately. Surprised, the man above him tried to pull away, but Antonio didn't let him. He lightly thrust his tongue into the man's mouth and ran it over his bottom teeth and sucked on the man's lip, which brought forth a moan that was like music to his ears. Giving up, the man leaned into him and deepened their kiss. Their tongues danced along side each other like a beautiful tango that left both of them breathless. Antonio finally let him pull away, and stared at the handsome blushing man's face.

"Romano."

The auburn-haired man tcked and turned his face away from his boyfriend.

"I-i'm actually Officer Vargas…i'm calling the sh-shots right now!" Romano's normal voice was back, though more husky he might say.

Antonio let out a strong laugh, causing Romano to go even redder.

"You stupid bastard! Don't laugh at me!" The Italian moved to get up, but was pulled back down.

"Ah, I'm sorry. Please continue, Officer Vargas." Antonio smiled with a hint of amusement in his tone as he held tightly onto Romano's ass. The Italian blushed and glared at him.

"Don't touch. Just watch."

Romano unbuttoned his police shirt slowly, staring into Antonio's eyes as he did so. He raised himself up from the Spaniard's lap and began touching his own body. He moved one hand across his pecks, lightly rubbing his peaked nipple, and trailed the other hand down his torso to his lower abs just above his happy trail. Breathing heavily and fluttering his eyes shut, Romano started to move his hands back up and over his shoulders. Antonio watched mesmerized, wishing he could be the one pleasuring his Italian like that. Reaching out his hands, the Spaniard tried to touch him but was met with a light smack of pain.

"I'm not done, bastard."

The Italian threw off his shirt and leaned over the Spaniard, propping himself up with one arm next to Antonio's right ear. The Spaniard felt motion below them, and looked down to see that Romano was swaying his hips back and forth, moving to the beat he had only remembered was there until now. The boy lightly dipped down and grinded their crotches together before pulling away a second later. Adding to the complete hotness of the situation, Romano began to move his hands over his body once again, and held a glazed look in his eyes as he looked at Antonio.

God, he wanted to touch Romano so badly. How could anyone be this incredibly sexy?

Slowing down, the Italian re-straddled his hips and hissed as their hard-ons rubbed against each other. Leaning closer to his face, Romano gave him one of the sexiest looks he'd ever seen.

"_Ahora besame._"

Spanish had never been so hot until now. Antonio pulled Romano down immediately, latching their lips together and giving him a few soft pecks on his lips. He nipped on his bottom lip, eagerly asking for entrance, to which the boy complied. The Spaniard twisted his tongue around Romano's, and pulled back to capture it and suck gently on it. Romano moaned and gently threaded his fingers in the man's hair as the man kissed him fervently and pulled him towards him even more.

"Ah, I suppose you are enjoying yourselves, yes?"

The Frenchman smirked as he leaned on the wall entrance and stared down at the two men attached to each other. Detaching themselves, the couple glared at the intruder, wishing to continue their escapade.

Antonio turned to his friend. "Ah…Francis…can you come back later? I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"I would, mon ami, but your time in this room is about to expire. You may want to fix yourselves up…"

Francis' eyes fell on the Italian's bare chest and sent him a leer.

"That is a wonderful outfit, mon cher." Romano covered himself with his arms and huffed.

"Pervert." He said as he grabbed his shirt from the ground and glared at the blonde.

Francis only grinned and shut the curtain, leaving the couple to themselves.

Romano pulled himself up and walked towards the corner where a black bag was hidden in the shadows. Antonio sat up, steading his breath and inspecting the object next to him. Turns out it was an eight sided long chuck of metal with no handle.

"I thought for sure this was a gun." He chuckled and looked up at the boy who was putting back on his normal clothes, "Oh yeah, and you scared the crap out of me. I thought I was really done for."

Romano snickered and pulled off his hat.

"Bastard, it was supposed to be a surprise. Gilbert's idea." The Spaniard raised an eyebrow.

"What? I guess he would suggest something like that. Good thing I realized it was you soon enough, who knows what I would have done to get away." Antonio stood up. With a laugh, the Italian glanced at him with a hint of amusement.

"It's not like I was going to hurt you. Just a little teasing…and sexual harassment."

Antonio wrapped his arms around the Italian's slim and naked waist.

"Hmm…but even if it was just sexual harassment, I'd fight him. Because I wouldn't want to be touched by anyone but you."

Romano tried to hide his blush in the dark, but Antonio could still see it.

"B-bastard…stop saying embar—"

Nuzzling his face and kissing his shoulders, Antonio felt Romano shiver.

"I only want you, Romano," the Italian stood there while Antonio squeezed him tighter, "I love you. I love you more than you'll ever probably love me. But, that's ok."

Romano only stayed silent in his boyfriend's arms. What the hell? What was wrong with the bastard? What was with this desperate tone?Turning his head, the boy was about to confront him when the curtain flew open. Feliciano stuck his head in and held a big smile on his face.

"Ve! Knock, knock!"

The couple's eyes landed on the happy Italian, who was dressed in the same police suit as Romano. Feli cocked his head to the side.

"You guys done~?"

Slowly and grudgingly, Antonio released his lover and gave Feli a fabricated smile.

"Si, I was very surprised!" Feliciano giggled.

"So was Luddy. I did good, right?" The man turned to his blushing blonde fiancé, who averted his eyes and adjusted his clothes.

"Ah, yes, you did very well…"

Ludwig tried to avoid the piercing eyes of Romano.

"Yay~!" Feli jumped into the arms of Ludwig and gave him a loving squeeze. Noticing the angry Italian, Antonio clapped his hands.

"Ah, should we go?"

Feli nodded. "Ve~ yes, let me at least change my shirt!"

The younger Italian skipped back behind their own curtain while Ludwig followed him. Back alone with Antonio, Romano flipped on the light switch and took a long look at the boy. Was that dark circles under his eyes? And his stupid smile seemed... less stupid than usual.

The man moved away from Romano and handed him his shirt that was hanging out of his bag.

"Here you are." Antonio grinned as Romano glared at him. Taking the shirt, the Italian put it on and started to button himself up.

"Um…" Romano started, not sure where to begin. Should he mention the Spaniard's attitude? Should he respond to that last comment before they were interrupted? Should he just ignore it and insult the bastard like he usually did?

"Yes, mi tomate?" The brunette cupped the young man's cheek, lightly rubbing his thumb in circles. Ok, Romano, just spit it out!

"Did…did I do good, too…?" The Italian bit his lip and looked up expectantly at the Spaniard. A little surprised, Antonio relaxed and leaned down to rub their noses together.

"You were extremely sexy~ Best lap dance I've ever had." Romano scoffed and pulled away, picking up his bag as he blushed madly.

"Have you ever even had a lap dance?"

"No." Antonio admitted with a laugh and pulled open the curtain. Just as they walked out, Ludwig and Feliciano opened theirs and looked even worse than before, minus the police costume. Romano groaned and stood in front of the disheveled couple.

"I swear, how hard is it for you bastards to keep it in your pants until the wedding?"

His younger bother lifted a hand to fix Ludwig's hair.

"We're good now! See?"

Romano sent them another scowl and headed towards the exit. The others followed and entered back into the club part of the building.

"Ve~ It's like another world!" Feli marveled, slipping his hand into Ludwig's.

"Where are the others?" Romano asked while they scanned the dance floor and bar.

Pointing to a booth in the back, Antonio exclaimed, "There!"

With no other way to reach it, the group decided to head through the crowded dance floor, which had accumulated more people over the period they had been gone. Antonio grabbed onto Romano's hand as they were pushed and shoved, while Ludwig shielded Feli from those who tried to get near. The dance floor was stuffy and the people were crazy as they bumped and danced close to one another. Romano thought the lights changed colors too quickly, and he couldn't wait to get out of the crowd and get a drink. He clutched tighter onto Antonio's hand, which was slightly sweaty as they themselves absorbed some of the body heat from the dancers.

At that moment, Antonio bumped into someone ahead of him, who had trouble steading himself. The man was blonde and slightly on the short side, with incredibly thick eyebrows. He also appeared to be fairly drunk.

The man wobbled and stared up at Antonio angrily.

"Watch where you're going, you—" Speaking in a British accent, the man stopped talking abruptly.

Antonio's grip on Romano suddenly turned tight, while the blonde man's eyes grew wide and a smirk fell on his face.

"Blimey! Well, if it isn't bloody Antonio. How's it been? Still up to no good?"

The blonde laughed at the Spaniard's uncomfortable expression. Antonio stared at him like he was looking at a ghost.

"Arthur." The man faked surprise.

"Ah, you remember me? Want to rough me up again?"

Romano stared confusingly at the exchange. Antonio clearly knew him, but something was off here. The Spaniard was not his usual self.

Antonio shook his head. "No, I should apologi—"

The British man laughed and almost fell over.

"Apologize? You think an apology could solve everything? Well, you are sadly mistaken," the man came closer, a wild look in his eyes, "You know, I heard about your father. It's sad, really. He's finally gets what he deserved after all this time."

"Shut up…" Antonio whispered, fear starting to fill his eyes.

The blonde continued and dusted off a piece of lint off his jacket.

"But I suppose you haven't forgotten your violent side—after what you did to me. After all, you can't change who you really are."

"Shut up." The Spaniard said a little more forcefully. Romano looked from him to Arthur, who noticed the boy's presence.

"Is this your plaything? He's quite dishy." The blonde looked over the befuddled Italian, "You better get out now, before he lays a hand on you. You might end up just like—"

Antonio's hand was suddenly out of the Italian's and clutching the neckline of Arthur's shirt.

"I SAID SHUT UP!" There was a look of pure anger in Antonio's eyes, something Romano had never seen before. What was going on? Why was Antonio so upset? The blonde just smirked.

"Control your temper, you bloody git. If you're not careful, you're going to end up just like him." Antonio just growled and tightened his hold.

"I won't." Sneering, Arthur just shrugged.

"It's not me you need to convince."

Slowly, the Spaniard turned around to follow Arthur's gaze to Romano, who was staring at them with a look of distress. Antonio immediately let go on the blonde and looked at his boyfriend, who appeared afraid of him. Looking down at his shaking hands, he started breathing heavily.

"Oh god. Oh my god."

Romano moved forward, placing a hand gently on his shoulder.

"Antonio—"

The man pulled away and stepped back.

"Stay away!" Antonio shook his head and bit his lip, "Just…I'm sorry."

Without looking back at Romano, the Spaniard darted into the crowd and disappeared.

The Italian took a look at the blonde, who was no longer alone. Another blonde, who was taller, was helping him up. He wore glasses and—wait, Romano recognized this boy. It was the one who had served them ice cream on their first date.

"Dude! Where the hell did you go? I leave you for one sec—" The tall blonde's eyes fell on Romano, who was standing there stunned.

"Yo! You're that one guy! Dude, you still need to try the Fourth of July flavor!" Arthur groaned and leaned on the man.

"Alfred, get me out of here. I feel bloody horrible."

"Sure, babe." He smiled at Arthur and turned back to the Italian, "Ah…where's your boyfriend?"

Romano blinked and clenched his fists.

"I..ah…I have to go find him."

Diving into the crowd, Romano pushed himself in the direction that Antonio went. What the hell just happened? Why was Antonio freaking out? What was this about his parents and Arthur? A handful of questions surged through his head as he pushed back people and finally reached free space.

Looking around, he noticed his brother and friends in the corner, laughing and chatting about something. Out of breath, Romano ran up to them.

"Have you seen Antonio?" He immediately questioned.

They gave him a puzzled look. Gilbert raised an eyebrow.

"No, wasn't he with you?" Romano ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"Something happened. He ran into someone he knew and…he just freaked out."

"What did the person look like?" Francis asked, standing up.

"Ah…um…blond with bushy eyebrows. Kind of short."

Gilbert and Francis looked at each other with a serious expression.

"We probably need to tell you something, Romano." Gilbert stated with no inkling of flippancy. The Italian hesitantly nodded and swallowed a lump in his throat. Scanning the surroundings again and growing more panicked, Romano found his boyfriend to be nowhere in sight.

Antonio really was gone.

**A/N:**

**Ah, I was so planning I get this out earlier! Moving in and no internet prevented me from doing so :(**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Next chapter is the last (before the Epilogue). I hope I can get it out soon! Thanks for the reviews and for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11: Two Roads

**Disclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters.**

**Chapter 11: Where Two Roads Merge and Another Begins**

Romano laid on his bed, absently listening to the constant ticks on his clock on the wall. The ticks seemed to grow louder as each hour passed and distracted him from getting any sleep at all. They sounded like they were taunting him, making him painfully aware of the time slipping away. Was time some kind of bomb that ticked and ticked until one day it hit its last second and destroyed everything?

Opening his eyes, the Italian groaned and rolled flat on his back.

It was the day of the wedding. His brother was finally going to become Feliciano Vargas-Beilschmidt, and move in with a man Romano didn't even like.

That's not to say he wasn't supportive of his brother. The potato bastard made Feli happier than anyone, and, when it came down to it, that was the most important thing. Romano was no longer the one meant to look after and protect the little Italian. Even though it was the hardest thing for him to do, he'd give up his younger fratello and his position as his guardian.

He was no longer dependent on Feliciano for purpose. He had been aware of it for a while—his obsession with keeping his brother safe, his inferiority complex to all his brother's likeable traits, and the fact that he felt that he would never be as good a person as him. That's how he grew up thinking and what he believed for the longest time. Why should he consider otherwise?

And then Antonio came. Stupid, handsome Antonio. He was like a storm you didn't know was coming and hit you hard when it did. The Spanish bastard made him feel like he was finally worth something, that maybe he was better than Feliciano for once because Antonio picked Romano. Of everyone, he chose _him_. He may have been senseless, oblivious, and a little lazy, but he was also hardworking, caring, loving, sexy, and absolutely irresistible. Even if Romano tried, he couldn't seem to prevent himself from falling for the brunette and his wonderful smile. In his mind, Antonio was perfect.

And the Spanish boy hadn't talked to him since that night.

Grabbing his pillow, Romano put his face in it and yelled. The one thing he forgot to calculate was how the bastard himself felt. He had only know as much as the boy had shown him, and apparently there was a lot he hadn't revealed. After he had disappeared, Romano and the others had called him countless times, only to receive his automated recording.

The Italian was worried about him. The look in his eyes before he left scared Romano the most, like the boy had done something absolutely wrong and horrible. It was mix between anguish and terror, and—thinking about it—the Italian had seen a similar version the first time they had made love, when Antonio had thought he had hurt him. Romano's thoughts drifted back to the conversation he had with Gilbert and Francis about his Spanish boyfriend.

_"We won't say too much, but we should at least fill you in a little bit." Gilbert said looked at Romano, who was every bit as confused as he looked. Francis, Gilbert, and Romano had moved to sit at a booth a few seats away to privately discuss the situation. The Prussian took a sip of beer._

_"Toni used to live in Spain with his parents. Something happened, and he ended up being sent here to live with my family after we had moved to America." The Italian moved forward, eagerly awaiting an answer._

_"What happened?" Francis stepped in and held up two fingers._

"_Two things. I'll leave Antonio to clarify the other, but one I'll explain right now. That man you met," The Frenchman glanced over his shoulder at the two bickering blondes heading towards the exit, "Used to attend the same high school as Antonio and me. Due to unfortunate events, Antonio fell into a bad crowd and needed an outlet for his anger and agony. Even though I didn't approve, I stayed with him and watched him so he wouldn't get into too much trouble. He got into a lot of fights and skipped a lot of school. _

"_Arthur was an exchange student from England at the time, and immediately didn't get along with Antonio. They argued a lot, and got on the verge of fights, but nothing too serious. One day, after something particularly bad happened, they got in a really bad scuffle that escalated too quickly and…Arthur ended up in the hospital." _

_Running a hand through his blonde hair, Francis sighed. _

"_It was sort of a wake-up call for Antonio. He insisted on leaving the country and changing his environment. I think…he wanted to change for the better."_

_The two men stared at Romano, who was staring down at the table with a scowl._

_"Wow. So that's what it was…But Antonio is so damn cheerful all the time…" Romano stated weakly. Gilbert nodded and crossed his arms._

_"He wasn't always. A lot of it's a copping mechanism. Although he forced himself to be happy and easygoing, on the inside he had a lot inner demons that were always threatening to send him into depression and self-hatred. But that's changed recently…ever since he's met you actually." Romano looked up in shock._

_"Me? I don't think that's…" Gilbert smiled. _

"_I don't know what you did, but Antonio thinks about you all the time. I think you make things better for him. You make him the happiest man alive." Insecurities filled Romano's brain. _

_"But…I have such a poor attitude. I couldn't possibly…"_

_Francis smirked at the Italian and placed a hand comfortingly on his shoulder. _

"_Only you could make him smile so beautifully like he does. He practically lights up whenever you enter the room. Antonio really loves you, you know that?"_

Romano's eyes fluttered open. Was that all true? If Antonio really loved him, why had he just left him and vanished off the face of the earth?

Questions gnawed at the back of his mind and wouldn't let up until he distracted himself with something else. They soon returned, however, and went back to torturing him. What was he to do? Antonio was going to show up at the wedding, right?

What if he didn't?

_I've got to do something_, he thought. At that moment, Romano's door quietly squeaked open.

Feli popped his head in and offered his brother a gentle smile.

"Are you up, fratello?" Romano turned his head towards the boy and nodded.

"Have you gotten ready?" The little Italian grinned and pushed the door further open, revealing the rest of his body.

Feliciano wore the white suit they had picked out for him with a green tie and white dress shirt underneath. The jacket was synched in around his waist and connected by a small button, and on his feet he wore nice black dress shoes. He sported the same hairstyle as usual, with his unruly curl extending out to the left. Romano sat up and looked at his happy brother in awe.

"Feliciano…it's perfect."

The boy giggled. "I think so too! I hope Luddy loves it! Oh~ I can't wait to walk down the aisle, though I have to admit, I am quite nervous. I'm so clumsy, I hope I won't fall! Wouldn't that be—"

"Feli." Romano spoke, giving him the 'you're rambling again' look. His brother sighed and moved to sit next to him on the side of the bed.

"Sorry. I've been waiting for this day for all my life, and, finally, here it is. I just can't believe it's actually happening. What if something goes wrong? What if…Luddy realizes I'm no good and decides he doesn't want to marry me?" Romano shook his head at the sad expression on Feli's face..

"You're worrying too much. Everything is going to be fine. Ludwig should be happy to have you. I think you're too good for that bastard, anyway."

Dramatically, Feli looked at his brother as a ridiculous smile spread across his face.

"You…you called him Ludwig!"

The Italian realized his mistake and rubbed his head. God, he was out of it.

"Uh…urgh…yes, I suppose so. Just know this, I wouldn't give my little brother away to anyone who didn't love him or treat him as I think he should be." Feli grinned at his words and clutched onto his brother's arm.

"Ve~ So you approve of Luddy?" Pausing for a moment, Romano reluctantly nodded.

"He's still a potato bastard though." Feli giggled and suddenly held a more solemn tone.

"I wish Mama was here." Romano turned his head to Feli, who was staring up at the ceiling. Although neither showed it often, her death had hit both of them hard. She was a wonderful person filled with such wonderful happiness and love. Reaching over, the older Italian lightly squeezed his brother's hand.

"She'd be so happy and proud of you. She'd probably fight with Nonno over who would bring you down the aisle and get what she wanted because no one could ever win against her. But I know she'd have tears in her eyes as she watched you recite your vows and become someone else's loved one."

A lone tear ran down Feli's cheek. Giggling, the boy wiped it away.

"She would, wouldn't she? You know, Mama would be proud of you, too! So, grazie mille!" Feli assaulted him with a hug. Romano scoffed but didn't push him away.

"For what?" The younger Italian pulled him tighter.

"For being the best maggiore fratello ever~ I hope you and Big Brother Antonio get married and have lots of children like I want to with Luddy!" The older Italian blushed.

"That's impossible, idiota! Men can't have children! Besides…I haven't seen Antonio." Feli noticed Romano's distressed expression and gave him a small smile.

"Then why don't you go find him?"

Surprised, Romano looked over at Feli, who was holding his own phone out to him. The boy clicked the home button and read the screen. It took a moment, but suddenly Romano's eyes widened. Jumping up, Romano ran over to the tux that had been hanging on his cabinet drawer and started to slip the pieces on.

"I've got to go!" He pulled his pants on, "We'll meet you at the ceremony."

Waiting for the hurried Italian to finish, Feli moved over to his brother to help him adjust his coral tie.

"Don't be late."

Romano returned the small, encouraging smile.

"We won't. Grazie." Taking a last look in the mirror and fixing himself, Romano darted out the door and out of the house. With a smile, Feli clenched the phone to his chest.

"Combattere, fratello."

**xXx**

**[Text from BigBuffGermanHubby, Oct. 26, 11:38 a.m.]**

**Antonio's home.**

**Good luck, Romano.**

~x~

Romano used Feli's car, since Nonno was picking the man of the hour up and taking him to the church, and headed in the direction of Antonio's apartment. To be honest, Romano's driving was like a mad man's and he _may_ have run two red lights on the way there, but it was completely necessary. The ceremony started in two hours.

Turning into the trio's apartment complex, the older Italian skidded the car to a stop and jumped out of it. Running up to the third floor and breathing heavily by now, Romano jogged down to the fourth door and knocked on it continuously.

Open up. Open up. Open up, you bastard!

Romano heard a muffled voice from inside that he couldn't identify and waited for the door to open as the sound of locks shifting filled his ears. The door swung open to reveal a sleepy Antonio, who rubbed his eye and looked up at the person outside. The Spaniard held an expression of shock and confusion as he stared down at the Italian.

"Ah. Romano. What are you doing here?"

Pushing Antonio out of the way, Romano walked past him and into the apartment.

"Where is it?" He asked sternly. The brunette cocked his head.

"Where is what?"

The Italian pushed open random doors, and found Gilbert's and Francis' first by the immeasurable amount of women's and men's posters and pictures of themselves, before finding Antonio's. His room was fairly empty, with only pictures of his photography lining the room. Romano stepped in and started going through his drawers and closet. Finding nothing, the boy turned to Antonio, who looked uncomfortable and bewildered.

"Where the hell is your tux?" he spit out. His Spanish boyfriend started to shake his head.

"My…my tux? Romano I—"

"Shut up!" Romano stepped forward and pointed at him, "Just shut the hell up."

Antonio held up his hands and stared at the angry Italian. Romano breathed heavily, ready to give the Spaniard a mouth full.

"What the fuck was that at the club? First we're having a good time, and then you're saying crap like 'I'm sorry' and running off!" Antonio didn't answer, but held a look of guilt. Romano continued with a weaker tone, stepping closer.

"Why did you freak out when you ran into that Arthur guy? What are you afraid of? You can't just leave me in the dark and expect to…to get away with it, you bastard." The Italian forced out, trying his best to remain strong. Antonio sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he leaned against the door-frame.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be with me." Romano felt his heart constrict in pain as he bit his lip and growled.

"Don't you dare decide for me what is good for me or not. What I want right now is answers. So start talking, you son of a bitch."

The Spaniard stared at Romano, who sent him a 'you better talk' glare. It was like that for a few seconds before he finally gave in. With a sigh, the man pushed his hands into his pockets.

"I don't come from a good family. Not like the one you and Feliciano have. I know you lost your mother when you were younger, but at least you still had relatives that loved you…I didn't really have that. My father drank a lot, and when he drank he got violent. My mother would always send me out of the house to a neighbor's or friend's house to avoid his unpredictable rages. She was a good person and I loved her dearly. I hated to leave her alone to handle it, but she never gave me another option.

"One night, my father drank an excessive amount and got forceful quite quickly. My mother sent me out again, but my father wasn't happy and questioned her about it. I assumed he wanted to punish me for disobeying him, but my mother fought back and didn't tell him where I was. I snuck back in later that night to find my father passed out on the floor with a broken bottle in his hand. A few steps further, I saw my mother lying on the floor as well, blood leaking from her head. I was only fourteen, and, after I immediately called the paramedics, I cried for the longest time and sat there between them rocking myself back and forth."

Antonio shifted his sorrow-filled eyes down to look at Romano, who was standing there in shock.

"Turns out, he hit her with that broken bottle, which sent her toppling over and hitting her head on the side of the table. She couldn't be save."

Pulling his eyes away, Antonio focused on the wall.

"He was sent to jail after that. He tried calling me and sending me letters, but I never answered or read them. I…couldn't forgive him. I didn't know what to do. My mom was gone, my dad was in prison, and I was put in the care of a close neighbor until they could find me somewhere to go. I lashed out at the world and closed myself off, and when I ran into Arthur, it was just the wrong moment to get into a fight. He was usually pretty snippy and mentioned some bad things about my parents and that's when I lost it. I just went blank. Next thing I knew, he was on the floor bleeding profusely and I was standing over him with a bloodied fist.

The man shook his head with furrowed brows.

"I had never lost control like that. It was a good thing he made a full recovery from the injuries, but I was still left with knowledge that I could hurt another human being—just like my father. I didn't want to be like him. It scared me to death. Gilbert's family took me in and treated me like their own brother, and I repaid them by being the happy and friendly guest they would want."

The Spaniard's weary eyes were back on Romano as he sighed.

"When I thought I hurt you after we had made love, it brought back a flood of unpleasant memories and worries. What if I was turning into him, even after all this time? Then I receive a call when you visited with your friends at the coffee shop from the court office in Spain that told me that my father had been sentenced to life in prison after a thorough investigation. I guess my thoughts had finally come to light when they mentioned his name, and I was constantly battling myself. I was so afraid to hurt you. To lose you."

Antonio chuckled weakly and rubbed his forehead, closing his eyes.

"Then the thing with Arthur happened, and it was like the past was telling me that it was dangerous to be with me. If I was close to you, I could hurt you, too. So…maybe it's better this way. Maybe I'm not meant to be with you. You deserve someone so much better, who can protect and cherish you—"

The man was cut off by the feeling of Romano around his waist, hugging him tightly. The Italian tugged on his shirt from behind and rubbed his face into his chest.

"Bastard, that's you isn't it? You're the kind-hearted, good, foolish, and overprotective Antonio. You would never hurt me." Romano looked up at him with tears dotting the corners of his eyes, "I only want you. It can only be you, idiot."

Antonio looked taken aback and turned his face away.

"B-but I'm not safe, Romano…What if I hurt someone? What if I hurt you—" The boy cut him off.

"I don't care," Romano clenched the man's pajama shirt, "It doesn't matter because I…I love you so much and I want to be with you.

"I'm really sorry about what happened to your Mom. That was horrible of your Dad…but you're your own person, and there's no way you could ever be bad to me or anyone. Besides, you're not alone. You'll never be alone again."

Remembering those last words from the pep talk that Antonio had told Romano himself, the Spaniard stared at him for a long time before cupping the Italian's cheek and wiping away his tears.

"Romano, thank you."

Wrapping his arms around his back, Antonio pulled Romano closer. They stayed like that, in each other's arms for a while before the Spaniard lifted the Italian's chin to look up at him. Giving each other a smile, the couple shared a loving and chaste kiss before pulling away a few seconds later. Romano leaned into the Spaniard's touch, which softly petted his hair.

"Now, we have a wedding to get to. So, go get your tux, bastard."

Antonio smiled and saluted him as he went to his closet and pulled a plastic black cover from the back. So that's where he had put it. Pulling up the wrapping, Antonio showed him his crisp black tux that was remarkable similar to Romano's.

"Look~ We're matching." Romano scoffed and waved his hand.

"Hurry up and put it on. We're in a time crunch."

Antonio started to pull off his ridiculous tomato pajamas, revealing the man's toned torso and sexy body. Staring, Romano felt a blush come over him as he remembered the last time they had seen each other naked. The Spaniard noticed his gaze and locked eyes with him.

"Were you—?"

"No! I-I wasn't staring! Hurry up, bastard!" Romano sputtered out and turned away indignantly.

Antonio only chuckled and pulled on the rest of his clothing. Fixing his red tie, the man turned to Romano.

"How do I look~?"

Immediately prepared to knock the cocky bastard down a few inches, Romano turned around and, yet, nothing came out of his mouth. Damn. Stupid bastard and his hotness. As the Italian bit his lip, Antonio tugged down on his jacket and straightened it.

"That good? I'm so happy~" He grinned like a fool. Romano growled.

"I-Idiot, only you would flirt when we're in a hurry." Antonio fixed his cuffs and ruffled his own hair.

"It's ok~ We'll make it in time," Holding out his hand, the handsome brunette smiled, "Come on."

Rolling his eyes, Romano took it, and they headed through the apartment and out the door.

It was time for his brother to have the best day of his life. And maybe, with Antonio next to him, he could give him that.

~x~

Twenty minutes later, the couple arrived at the church and valeted the car. The building had gorgeous stain-glass windows that were framed by red bricks. There was a bell tower and a large round window that Romano assumed was close to the altar. Antonio took his hand and pulled him through the doors. There was a long hallway that had two widely spaced doors, one of which there seemed to be more people coming in through. Assuming that was the right one, they moved towards the entrance.

The inside was even more beautiful. A large amount of the traditional brown benches made two rows, where the middle space would be where Feli would walk down. It was like looking at a movie set with an actual priest standing in front of an altar and the groom, Ludwig, fixing his tie and looked incredibly nervous. He was wearing a traditional black suit and a tie that matched his blue eyes.

The couple ran up to him, hands still interlocked as they passed people they knew and didn't know.

"Oi, potato bastard! Where's my brother?"

As he looked up, Ludwig let his eyes linger on their linked hands before answering.

"In the room across from this hall. He's probably expecting you any moment. We're starting soon."

Romano grimaced. "I know. Ok, I'll be back in a bit."

Giving Antonio a silent squeeze and smile, he pulled away rushed back down the aisle to find Feliciano. The Italian moved past incoming people and looked for the right door. Finding one and hoping it was the right one, Romano entered and found his grandfather standing and his brother sitting at a vanity with a thin, white veil over his head. Nonno noticed him first and gave him a quick, big hug.

"Romano, my boy! You look dashing, don't you? That's how Vargas men do it!"

"Ciao, Nonno."

Feli instantly brightened once he saw his brother's face and lifted it up over his head.

"Fratello! Ve, how'd it go?"

"Good. He's here." The groom grinned.

"I'm glad~ How does Luddy look?" His brother had gone the traditional route and insisted on not seeing Ludwig at all until he entered the hall. Not really wanting to give him answer, Romano shot him a look before sighing.

"He looks fine, idiota. Exactly the way he should look for a wedding."

Feli giggled happily as he turned back to the mirror to check himself. The boy stood up and gave his family a confident smile.

"Ve! I think I'm ready!" Nonno stifled a manly sob.

"My boys grow up so fast! Romano, are you walking down the aisle with us?" The older Italian shook his head.

"I'll leave that to you. But Feli, when you do get up there, I'll be right behind you."

The boy gave Romano a cheerful squeeze on the shoulder.

"Grazie, fratello."

The older Italian looked at Feliciano, and, as if seeing him in a new light, saw a strong, young man that was no longer his wimpy, useless younger brother. He was independent and all grown up—a man looking forward to the future. And of all things he felt right now for his brother, it was pride and happiness.

"Good luck with the potato bastard for the rest of your life."

With a swift turn, Romano exited the room, letting his brother's happy laughter fill the air.

~x~

It was eerie how the room suddenly turned quiet as everyone waited for the groom/bride to enter. It was like a moment that people could sense even though there was no signal or indication. Even the rowdy trio was respectfully silent as they stood in anticipation. Although Ludwig was usually a reticent man by nature, he wore his emotions on his sleeve today. Constantly fidgeting, he kept adjusting his clammy hands and wetted his lips that seemed to dry up too fast. His eyes, however, stayed fixed on the large, carved doors at the end of the room.

A few seconds later, the wedding song began and Feli walked in. He linked arms with Nonno while holding a bouquet of white and purple flowers, and flashed a hidden smile at the audience watching him.

It wasn't a large wedding, since the couple only wanted close family and friends bear witness to their union. In addition to being a successful columnist, Francis also was a great wedding planner, and took on managing Ludwig's and Feliciano's as well. Romano hated to admit that the perverted bastard had done a pretty good job.

The older Italian shifted his eyes to look at Ludwig, who was looking at his groom-to-be with a unique expression on his face. It was filled with admiration, joy, and, most of all, love. It was all directed at the Italian's little brother, who was staring at his groom through the thin veil with the same pure-hearted look. Stuck in the same world, it was as if no one else was in the room with them.

And, as if compelled by a magnet, Romano couldn't _not _look at Antonio across the way. The man was staring straight back at him, hands folded politely in front of his body as he sent the boy a beautiful smile. Romano's heart did a little toss and roll in his chest. The Italian swallowed and coyly looked away. When was he ever going to get used to that?

Reaching the altar, Nonno gave a respectful yet warning smile to Ludwig before handing Feliciano off. When Feli took his rightful place across from his groom, the blonde lifted the veil and smiled shyly at his giddy bride.

They turned to the old priest as he began to recite the ceremonial introductions.

"Ludwig Beilschmidt and Feliciano Vargas - Today you enter as individuals, but leave here as husband and husband, blending your lives, expanding your family ties, and embarking upon the grandest adventure of life. Let your love and friendship guide you, as you learn and grow together."

Feli sent his fiancé a warm smile before focusing back on the man. The priest went on to describe the importance of marriage and how it bonds people in the ties of love before reaching the vows, which the couple had decided to write themselves. The younger Italian began.

"Luddy," he giggled as he looked at his blonde lover.

"From this moment forward,

We shall take on the world together,

Hand-in-hand,

With the promise of love, laughter, and pasta,

And my devotion and faith to you,

I give you my heart and my soul,

You are my everything,

I will love you,

Forever, ve~"

Smiling with tears of joy in his eyes, Feli finished and looked up at Ludwig, who too was getting a little sentimental. Swallowing, Ludwig shakily began his.

"Feli—it's always been you,

Since the day we met,

I couldn't deny your wonderful smile or infectious happiness,

And I instantly fell for you,

And will be falling forever,

So I promise to love and take care of you,

To protect and support you,

Till the end of time."

Tears spilled down their cheeks as they exchanged rings and performed the "I do's".

And when the priest had proclaimed them "Mr. Beilschmidt and Mr. Vargas-Beilschmidt", Feli jumped into the Ludwig's arms and kissed him silly. Cheers and claps rang out for the married couple as they walked back down the aisle towards the white limo waiting for them. The audience followed as they stood in front of the car door, smiling and waving to their friends and family.

Romano stood at the back, quietly observing and smiling at his brother's happiness.

"Looks like everything turned out well." A voice spoke. The Italian looked at his brunette boyfriend, who was next to him and staring out contently at the happy crowd. His professional camera was wrapped securely around his neck and his hands hung casually in his pant pockets. Romano scoffed and crossed his arms.

"Of course, bastard! I knew it would. Did you get good pictures?" The Spaniard hummed and slipped his hand into the scowling Italian's.

"Yes, many. They are lovely subjects~ So, what do we do now?"

"Drop your ass home." The boy immediately said, which caused Antonio to pout.

"Aw, Roma…" With a huff, Romano turned away.

"We need to go pick up your stuff."

The boy cocked his head. "My stuff…?"

Reddening, the older Italian rubbed the dirt on the ground with the point of his dress shoes.

"How else are you going to move in with me? You jerk." He mumbled cutely without meeting Antonio's eyes. The Spaniard paused for a moment and began grinning like a fool.

"Ok~ One question."

"What's that, bastard?" Leaning down, the brunette whispered into the boy's ear.

"Before that, can I get you out of that tux?" Blushing madly, Romano jerked away and covered him ear.

"D-don't say those kind of things in p-public, stupid idiot!"

Antonio flashed his signature smile and took his hand.

"So is that a yes~?" Romano glared at him, but didn't pull his hand away.

"…That's a _maybe_, you perver—"

A dangerous bouquet of flowers smacked Romano in the face.

"Roma?! Are you ok?"

"What the _fuck_ is this?"

"Aw, the little Italian caught the bouquet. It iz very romantic~"

"Not awesome! Birdie was supposed to catch that!"

"Congratulations, Romano-kun."

"Not you too, il mio nipote! Stay with Nonno forever!"

Romano really could not deal with these idiots.

But this was his happily ever after, so—maybe, just maybe—this was how it was meant to be.

* * *

**There will be an epilogue :)**


	12. Epilogue

**Diclaimer: I do not own Hetalia or any of the characters. **

**Epilogue**

* * *

**Six months later…**

~x~

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"Toni…Get that…"

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"Toni…"

BEEP BEEP BEEP

"Bastard…wake up…"

Click.

"Let me…just…five more minutes, mi querido, and then I'll…"

Romano groaned and rolled over to face his sleepy boyfriend, who had his face dug into the pillow. Rubbing his eyes, the Italian pushed Antonio's shoulder as the Spaniard let out a small snore and grunt.

"Urghh…mfmm…"

"Idiot…You're gonna be late for class…" He heard a sigh.

"Ok, ok. I'm up."

Antonio grudgingly sat up and pushed away the covers of their bed. Content that he was indeed awake, Romano closed his eyes and allowed himself to sleep in a little more.

"So I'll meet you after work at six in the train station?" The boy yawned.

"Mmm…yeah…we really need to get a car."

The Spaniard chuckled as he pulled on his pants, buttoned them, and leaned over to give the Italian a quick kiss on the lips.

"Te amo, mi tomate."

"Ti amo, bastard. Now get going and let me sleep in some more." Standing up, Antonio walked to the doorway.

"All right, hasta luego~" Romano gave a half-hearted wave before succumbing to the softness of his pillow.

~x~

Clutching a white paper bag in his right hand, Romano made his way down the street towards Antonio's coffee shop. Since he had a break before his next class, he decided to surprise the Spaniard with some fresh tomatoes he picked up from the little market. It was their favorite thing to eat, and Romano couldn't wait to see the man's face light up when he walked in _and_ had tomatoes.

Not that he would admit it. The bastard didn't need any more satisfaction than he already had.

The Italian walked up to the coffee shop entrance and pushed the door open.

"Hey bastard, I—" Romano began, but stopped speaking once he saw the person behind the counter. Instead of Antonio, there was a tall man with wild blonde hair and a youthful smile staring at him.

"Welcome! So glad you could come in to try some of our delicious coffee!" Romano blinked. This boy was too cheerful. He must have been the new employee his boyfriend named Mathias that he had mentioned a couple days ago.

"Ah, um, can you get Antonio for me?" The blonde tapped on the table and looked like he was thinking.

"You mean the tall, brown-haired Spanish dude that works here?" Romano nodded as Mathias let out an obnoxious laugh that reminded him of Gilbert's.

"Sorry, man. He got picked up by a hot chick about an hour ago. Want me to let him know you came by? Yo? Dude?"

Romano stood there as the man tried to get his attention. Antonio was out with a girl? He didn't mention this to him. Who was she? A friend? _A secret lover?_

"Ah…no…that's ok. I'll just…go now." Turning and exiting the door, Romano didn't wait to hear any more from Mathias. He walked back down the street towards campus rather robotically. He didn't know what to think.

About a few blocks down, a sweet sugary laugh echoed in the wind. As Romano passed an alleyway, he saw a glimpse of familiar brunette hair and unfamiliar blonde. Side by side the two walked, looking like a perfect couple as they walked out of sight. Romano stood in shock, his legs feeling weaker by the minute.

~x~

"He's cheating on me."

_"What?! Fratello, I think you're exaggerating. I'm sure she's just a classmate or something. Ah, hold on."_

Romano sighed as he shifted the phone to his other ear and listened to the crying and comforting sounds on the other line. After Feli and Ludwig had come back from their honeymoon and moved into their new home, they enlisted to adopt a child from a foreign country. After months of waiting, the two finally were blessed with little baby girl, who was just as much of a handful as Feliciano himself.

"Did you really have to get a kid now?"

_"Of course! Now that Luddy and I have steady jobs, we can take care of a baby. Isn't that right, little Lucilla? Aw, she's so cute, fratello! You and Antonio have to come visit soon!"_

"That's if he's not canoodling with that blonde bimbo." Romano muttered out.

"_Aw, Romano! Antonio wouldn't cheat on you! He loves you!" _Sighing, the Italian stopped in front of the station.

"Yeah, yeah. I've got to go. Ciao."

_"Ok~ Take it easy on Big Brother! Ciao!"_

Hanging up the phone, Romano entered the underground area and walked down the stairs. He scanned the area and immediately caught sight of his boyfriend, who was waiting where they always met with an absentminded yet happy smile. If the Italian knew any better, he'd say he looked…distracted. Walking slowly towards the man, Romano announced his entry by clearing his throat. The Spaniard jumped in surprise before turning to the boy with a smile.

"Hola, Romano!" The Italian just rolled his eyes.

"Hey, bastard. Are you ready?" Antonio looked perplexed and slightly panicked.

"Ah…For what?" The boy gave him a look.

"The train, dammit, what else?" Relief was apparent on his face.

"Oh, yes! Let's go, shall we?" Antonio smiled to him, while Romano swallowed and followed him. This wasn't looking too good. He just wanted to reach out and grab his hand, and for him to tell him everything was all right.

They waited for the train that arrived a minute later. It wasn't busy at all, so they found a two-seater pretty easily in the front. The two of them sat in silence and stared out the window before Antonio made a move to talk.

"Ah, this is where we met, isn't it?"

Romano turned to look at him for a moment before nodding cautiously.

"Guess it is." The Spaniard laughed at nothing and looked up.

"The first time I saw you, you were reading a book upside down. I thought it was the funniest thing ever."

Flushing, the Italian shoved him lightly. "B-bastard! I didn't! I mean…I can't believe you remember that."

"You were so cute," the boy cooed and went on, "Blushing and hiding behind the book. It just made it funnier." Romano crossed his arms and turned away from him.

"Stop it, you jerk! It wasn't funny!" The man just continued on.

"And the first time I saw you at the shop, I was so surprised! You practically throttled me there."

"You deserved it, bastard." Romano muttered under his breath as the Spaniard continued.

"And the time I kidnapped you! You never did tell me why you were upset, did you?"

"It's not important now. And you really shouldn't just throw people over your shoulder and carry them off. That could be considered a felony, you know." With a light chuckle, Antonio smirked.

"Ah, but it worked, didn't it? I even got to ask you out on a date~" Romano huffed and blushed.

"O-only to get you to stop bothering me, i-idiot." He stuttered out as they went over a large bump and back into a tunnel.

"And when I met your family for the first time, you ended up attacking me—with love, of course." The brunette winked at his boyfriend, who rolled his eyes.

"Don't forget Gilbert, who wanted to watch us make-out and probably join in if he could." Antonio laughed whole-heartedly.

"He would! Ah, but I wouldn't let him."

"You better not! That's disgusting…" The boy shivered in emphasis.

"We've gone through so much and more. And you know what?"

Romano stared at Antonio, who was staring back at him with a sparkle in his eyes.

"…What?"

The Spanish man gave Romano a smile filled with love and happiness.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you—no—I want to spend eternity with you, mi tomate."

A calm melody erupted through the quiet train cart from behind the couple. Startled, Romano turned around to find regular people, who had been sitting peacefully moments ago, standing up and holding four large red boards. On them in yellow lettering were the words "Will / you / marry / me?"

The auburn-haired man stopped breathing. Swinging his head back around to his boyfriend, the Italian found the man kneeling on the floor, holding up a simple gold ring lined with four shiny diamonds.

Nervously, Antonio flashed him a smile and looked at him seriously yet lovingly.

"Romano, I couldn't ask for a more wonderful lover, who's just as beautiful on the outside as he is on the inside. Would you do me the honor of being my husband, whom I shall love and hold forever?"

The boy didn't answer right away, but his actions spoke louder than his words. With tears streaming down his cheeks, Romano sat there silently before gathering the courage to speak.

"Y-yes. Yes, of course, you bastard!"

He threw himself into Antonio's arms and kissed him passionately as the audience of the train rang out in claps and cat-calls.

"I love you. I love you. I love you, Roma~" Antonio whispered as he showered the boy's face with kisses. Romano kissed him back.

"And I love you."

Antonio lifted the boy's finger and slid on the ring, which the newly engaged couple marveled at before falling down as the train took a swift turn.

"I didn't predict that." He laughed and helped Romano up.

"Oh my, you were right, Antonio! He is just the cutest!" Romano turned to find a pretty blonde woman in front of them, which he recognized as the woman he had saw with his fiancé earlier that day. She held the boards the people had been holding and looked at them with stars in her eyes. Antonio chuckled.

"Thanks, Bel. Ah, Romano, this is my cousin from Belgium. She dropped into today, unexpectedly I might say."

She waved at Romano happily as she flashed Antonio a disbelieving look.

"Ah, I can't just come visit you whenever? Anyway, I helped pick out the ring! Do you like it?"

Romano sighed in relief as he looked down at his finger and moved his hand so the diamonds would catch the light. He smiled and looked up at her eager face.

"I love it."

The train announced the next stop as theirs and began to slow down. After they had grabbed their stuff and headed for the doors, Romano slipped his hand into Antonio's. Lacing their hands together with the cold metal of the ring felt by them both, they shared a happy smile before taking a step out the sliding doors and towards the future.

Maybe, just maybe it was going to be all right.

Ah, who was he kidding?

It was going to be amazing.

**~FIN~**

**Thank you guys so much for reading and for all the support! This is the end. It makes me a bit sad! **

**I hope you all enjoyed the story! :)**

**SPAMANO LOVE FOREVER :D**


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